Fanning His Flames
by SilverKitsune2017
Summary: After the war, Sasuke Uchiha wanders the Five Nations in search of redemption for both himself and his Clan. That is, until the day he wandered into the Sand after too long in the desert. While normally, no cause for concern, it wouldn't be long before a feisty blonde kunoichi decided to play with fire.
1. Chapter 1

Fanning His Flames

 **Authors' Note:** This is a collaboration between myself and _**celestia193.**_ We decided to try out a new pairing and here it is. If the thought of this pairing bothers you for whatever reason, you might want to turn back now. For those of you still here, we hope you enjoy this story and reviews are always appreciated.

 **Disclaimer:** We don't own Naruto or make any profit off of our fanfics.

Chapter 1

The Sun was sadistic, Sasuke decides as he continues on his trek towards the Sand Village. For days, it had slammed down on him without any mercy until it set. The only respite he had was the fact he could use Water Style now and he'd already set his traveling cloak in his pack.

"The Loser would laugh his ass off, if he could see me now." He rolls his eyes at the thought.

He had fought against some of the greatest ninjas to have ever lived and was still standing and yet, he had been conquered by nature. With every step he takes, it feels as though his skin had been set ablaze by a powerful Amaterasu and Sasuke curses his fair complexion. It had never been an issue before, but then again, he had never bothered traveling to the desert before either.

"Finally." He sighs as he sees the Sand Village in the distance and Flickers to the entrance.

He could have used his Rinnegan to teleport from much further away, but Sasuke didn't want to activate it for fear a Sensory Type might realize what was going on. Walking was more normal. Hell, even the Body Flicker Technique probably wouldn't raise as many alarm bells. At least now though, the Sand Village's buildings would provide some shade from the harsh sun, if nothing else.

The two guards take a step back as they lay eyes on the darkly clothed, but seriously sunburned Uchiha. Every shinobi knew his face, even without seeing his Sharingan or Rinnegan.

On with sandy blond hair speaks up. "Sasuke Uchiha?"

Despite the situation, Sasuke couldn't help, but smirk. "Yes. Don't worry, I'm not going to attack your village." Who knew that Sand Villagers had a sense of humor? He highly doubted anyone in the Five Great Nations over the age of five couldn't identify him on sight, he'd made no effort to hide his identity. "If I was going to do that, I wouldn't come through the front entrance. I just want a place to rest until I resume my travels."

Why should he? It wasn't as if anyone could seriously threaten him anymore besides Naruto? That and he knew that he deserved every dirty or awe inspired look that the Sand Villagers were currently sending his way. To their credit though, they were by far the most subtle about it that he had seen. Most villages either whispered or flat started screaming when they saw him.

If nothing else, that was something he could respect. Maybe it wasn't a representative sample though, but Sasuke was pretty sure this was a quieter villager than the Leaf. Then again, he doubted there were many villagers that were louder than the village of his birth.

"The Hokage gave me a diplomatic pass to freely travel in our allies lands." He pulls a necklace out from underneath his shirt, displaying the symbol of the Leaf Village. "So are you going to honor the alliance between our villages or do I have to continue on?" They had to know that he'd alert Naruto if they didn't let him in. Sasuke felt a little guilty about using the pass, but honestly it was just easier than playing twenty questions.

The female snorts softly and relaxes her hand which was going for a kunai. "Not a transformation jutsu, then." They were ninja, and that meant that they had to be careful. "Yes, you may enter. The Kazekage has given us standing orders that you are to be allowed to pass through the gates at your leisure. Something about…the newest Hokage not shutting up about his best friend." Or so Lord Kankuro had put it.

Sasuke snorts at that. "That does sound like him." It looked like he was going to be granted entry without too much difficulty, if the woman's words were any indication. "Thank you. I'll go and announce my arrival to the Kazekage then." He bows as he starts past them.

He was an introvert by necessity these days, but that didn't mean he was completely unfamiliar with how to 'play nicely' as Naruto called it. It was just that he had never seen the value of doing so after the Massacre until recently.

If he was going to redeem himself and restore the name of his family, it was now a necessity. For Itachi's sake, if nothing else...he'd be polite. That meant doing things like addressing Gaara by his title in front of his villagers and minding his manners. With that thought in mind, he ignores the stares of the Sand Villagers as he makes his way to the Kazekage Tower.

He knew no one would stop him. Mostly because they'd have to be foolish to do so and also because of the symbol he wore around his neck. The adults knew what that meant and no parent would allow their child to get near him, if they had any notions about questioning him or 'saving the Kazekage.' Sasuke could easily imagine that most of the Sand Villagers would have been terrified on Gaara's behalf at his presence. Never mind the fact, that he held no ill will towards the red head. They didn't know that.

"They'd reported that a stranger was seen crossing the border a few days ago, but I never thought it would be you." A female voice drifts down to Sasuke from on high as a shadow passes overhead. "But it looks like someone's spent too much time out underneath the desert sun."

That voice. He'd heard it somewhere before, but where? "Well, you know what they say." He looks up and finds a smirk gracing his lips for the second time that day. "A ninja should always expect the unexpected." Now, that he could see her, Sasuke recognizes her easily enough. "Lady Temari." That blonde hair in those spiky ponytails was very distinctive to say the least and if that didn't trigger his memory, her fan would have.

The blonde shoots him an echoing smirk as her gaze roams over his reddened cheeks and neck. "I should say the same to you. Though maybe it would be more accurate to say that you did not expect what should have been expected." The desert was no joke when it came to sunburns.

"I suppose that I deserved that." Sasuke shrugs in an effort to appear casual. "I was just on my way to inform the Kazekage of my arrival." In reality, it was taking all his self-control not to gawk at her. The woman had actually TEASED him about having sunburn. He could count on his left hand how may people would dare to 'joke' with him about anything and he hadn't expected Temari to be one of them.

Looking like that? Temari raises an eyebrow as she floats down on her fan, touching down and whirling it around to close it. "I'm sure that Gaara will understand if you get some…treatment for your injuries, first." She stares at the bright coral of his skin. She chuckles and shakes her head. "You may not show it, but I'm sure that you're in agony right now."

She was enjoying this, Sasuke decides. "I don't think there's much that can be done about sunburn after one gets it, but thank you for your concern." Oh well. Let her have a few laughs at his expense. He still had to alert Gaara to his presence.

Temari rolls her eyes and slides her fan through a leather strap on her back. "Come on, there's plenty that can be done about sunburns once you've got them. You can see my brother afterward. We do live in the same building, after all."

"Alright." Idly, he wonders if Temari actually recognized who he was at this point. "Lead the way." He'd rarely had anyone boss him around who wasn't family or an instructor of some sort before, but especially not someone who could be considered a female peer. "Are all Sand women as...assertive as you?" He strides closer to her. "Or is that just a unique trait of yours?"

"We're less shy than your women." Less loud, as well, but when a Sand woman wanted something, she knew exactly how to get it. And it didn't have to involve screaming like a rabid fangirl. Temari was a perfect example of that. "Less annoying, too."

"You're also exceptionally modest." Sasuke smirks. "Though I'll keep all that in mind during my stay here."

"I never affirmed or denied it." And she couldn't be held responsible for whatever came out of his mouth. "So, what brings you here? I doubt it was just to enjoy the…" She glances at his burns again. "…weather."

The woman was brave, Sasuke had to give her that much. "I just go where my feet take me at this point and somehow, I ended up in the desert." In retrospect, that hadn't been his brightest idea.

Wandering, then…Temari could understand why, after everything that had happened and the less than favorable opinions a lot of people held about him. "Doesn't your village always say something about putting down roots?" Even if Sasuke's tree had been uprooted long ago, there was still plenty of soil in the world to plant it again in.

"It's better that I don't." Sasuke shakes his head as he bites back some scathing replies to that. Temari didn't deserve them. "Naruto is Hokage now. It's easier for him to be so without my being there. It would cause tension." The fact that the Leaf had once ordered the massacre of his entire family for doing just that, putting down roots, wasn't her fault. Besides, the blonde was just offering friendly advice.

"Tension, huh?" Temari knew a bit about what that was like. "I think that you don't give yourself enough credit. If you absolutely wanted to limit your interaction with other people, I'm sure that Naruto and Kakashi could put you to use as the new head of the ANBU."

"I still would have been seen around the village, unless I wanted to wear that mask for the rest of my life." He sighs as though debating whether or not it was worth it to elaborate. "Besides, I have a very unique chakra signature, any decent sensor would have recognized it easily, even if I cloaked and...I'm too recognizable even with a mask on." There. That didn't sound too vain, did it? He definitely wasn't going to point out the fact that his former admirers might comment on how he filled out even an ANBU uniform.

All of those were fair points, though Temari felt like Sasuke was intentionally limiting his own options. As some kind of penance, maybe? After all, sufficient stealth skills and some lessons from a sensor type in how to dampen and erase your chakra signature could solve those problems in a hurry. "Well, if you're sure about that, then who am I to stop you?" She pushes open the door to the Kazekage mansion and steps inside. "But at least in here you'll be able to get out of the sun."

He nods gratefully as he heads inside. "I'm sure and thanks." Sasuke allows himself to familiarize with his surroundings. "Gaara has better taste in design than the Loser does." He shakes his head. "At least he didn't paint the walls orange."

"I doubt the walls would take the color." In fact, it was generally difficult to paint the buildings, since most were made of sandstone. Some, however, like the upper floors of the mansion were public offices, and were reinforced against the weather with steel framing and interior walls. The ones down here, however, were sandstone, which took about as well to paint as oil to water.

Temari strides past the kitchen and opens a closet, pulling a bottle of clear green gel from one of the upper shelves. "Now, would you prefer to lay on the couch or on a bed?"

"That's a good thing." Orange would look even worse in the desert in Sasuke's opinion. "It doesn't matter, but thank you." He reaches for the gel, figuring he'd put it on as far as possible. Never did it occur to him that Temari intended to do it for him.

The blonde rolls her eyes and seizes his wrist as he reaches out for the aloe. "Bed it is." If the man wasn't going to choose, then she would choose for him. "Follow me." Not that she gave him a choice as she pulled him down the hall towards one of the bedrooms. She nudges the door open with her foot and strides inside, dragging him along behind her. "Shirt off and get on the bed."

Sasuke couldn't help, but smirk as Temari orders him about. "Maybe things are different in the Sand, but I always imagined I'd at least take a woman out to dinner first before getting into her bed." Honestly, he blames Kakashi's influence him for that comment. Hell, even Suigetsu could be at fault, but the way she was bossing him around made him more...bold than he normally would have been otherwise.

All his life he'd either been too young or too busy to express much interest in the opposite sex beyond their fighting abilities. Certainly, he'd never made a 'dirty joke' before, but well it was hard not to say SOMETHING when Temari was shoving him onto a bed and ordering him to partially strip.

His mother probably would have given him a disapproving look for that comment and his father, well Sasuke wasn't sure how he would have responded, but he follows Temari's orders. After all, his skin still felt as if it was under siege by the Amaterasu. Being defiant wasn't in his best interest.

Temari answers his smirk with one of her own. "Believe me, if I want a man in my bed, it wouldn't be that hard." She squeezes a large glob of aloe into her palm and puts the bottle on the bedside table as she rubs the cooling gel over her hands. "Now, try not to scream like a little girl, but if you must, my name will do." She places her hands down on his badly burned shoulders, noting with some amusement that the burns had managed to seep through the thin cloth of his shirt somewhat. She was almost impressed that he wasn't screaming in agony already.

Honestly, he was a bit gobsmacked. This was the point where a Leaf woman would either start giggling or smacking someone for saying what he had just said. Yet here Temari was, making it almost sound like they were actually lovers.

He wasn't sure if he wanted to laugh at her audacity or hiss in pain from his 'injury' being treated. So he settles somewhere in the middle between pain and laughter, Itachi.

"Itachi would have liked you." Sasuke bits back a hiss. "You might not be a Genjutsu User, but you're good at fucking with people's heads."

He probably shouldn't have used vulgarity in front of Gaara's sister. She was addressed as if she was actually nobility. 'Lady Temari' was what the other Sand Villagers called her, but well, Itachi was right. Sasuke was foolish, but in his defense Temari had started it.

"Of course I'm good at fucking with people's heads." Temari leans over him and presses down on his shoulders, rubbing the aloe gently but firmly into the burned skin. "I wouldn't count for much as a tactician if I didn't know how to get into my opponent's head."

"That's a decent point." Sasuke nods as he allows her to tend to his injuries.

How long had it been since anyone had touched him outside of a combat or medical situation? Years most likely. The burn was still there, but now it was being replaced by something entirely. The soothing sensation of aloe and skillful, feminine hands. How were her hands that soft when she lived in a desert anyway? Were all women's hands this soft and he'd just never noticed?

"Of course it is, I wouldn't have said it if it wasn't." If nothing else, Temari was very proud of her intellect. Her ability to formulate an argument was second to none. Except, perhaps, Shikamaru Nara. "How much is your back improving?"

"Has anyone ever told you that you're modesty is your most becoming trait?" He snorts, but actually smiles all the same. "Much better than it was. Thank you." The action feels almost alien after not doing it for so long, but Sasuke recognizes it for what it was. A smile. Usually, smirking was the closest he came to that.

Temari snorts with laughter. "Good, then I suppose you've learned your lesson about being out in the sun for too long when your skin is clearly not used to it. But it seems that you have yet to learn that I put no stock in being humble. It's useful on a mission where you can get away with lying by omission, but other than that, I see no reason to use it."

"Yes, I've learned my lesson." Sasuke nods as he begins to stand up, thinking she was done with him. "Thanks for your help, but I should probably let Gaara know that I'm here." The village tongues were likely wagging and it had to be only a matter of time. "As for feigned modesty, I agree with you. I'd prefer an arrogant and honest rose to a falsely humble cactus." They were in the desert, so Sasuke feels absurdly pleased with his little pun.

"Back down with you." Temari pushes him back down onto the bed and straddles his hips to keep him from getting up again. "I still need to do your front." She reaches over him for the bottle of aloe and squeezes another glob onto her hands.

Sasuke blinks as his cheeks go bright pink for a reason that had nothing to do with the sunburn. Temari had just shoved him on the bed and was straddling him and instead of being angry, he was kinda turned on.

Yeah. This was definitely Kakashi's fault for forcing him to read those stupid books. The silver haired ninja had sworn it would help him one day with 'Clan Restoration Efforts.' Totally Kakshi's fault.

"Alright." Of course, he couldn't say any of that. So Sasuke decides it was in his best interest to just let Temari do what she wanted. Maybe if he pictured something disgusting like Orochimaru's ridiculously long tongue, everything would go back to normal.

Temari's hands work over the sunburned skin, rubbing another layer of aloe in to soothe and heal. Though she was still mildly entertained by the notion of Sasuke forgetting that this was a desert long enough to take off his cloak. "See, this is one of the reasons why it's better to travel the desert at night, especially if you're not a native."

"If I ever find myself in another desert again, I'll keep that in mind." He sighs in contentment and closes his eyes at her gentle administrations.

Sure, she was feisty by almost any definition, but the combination of that aloe and her shockingly gentle touch was soothing. In some distant corner of his mind, Sasuke knew it was foolish to let his guard down even partially, but it was too pleasant to be on high alert. He settles on medium alert. If she tried something, he'd defend himself. He just wasn't in a hurry to stop her from tending to his sunburn at the moment.

Pleased by the stubborn man's acceptance of her help, Temari outlines the contours of his muscles with her fingertips as she massages the aloe into his skin. It was a relaxing task, even for the one performing the massage.

Relaxing…until her door, left ajar, swings fully open. She rolls her eyes and doesn't bother looking up. "Go away, Kankuro, I'm busy."

"If you think that I'm Kankuro, perhaps it is time for you to invest in glasses." A raspy voice is heard that has Sasuke sitting up faster than one could say Chidori. "Uchiha is there a reason why you're laying half naked in my sister's bed and why said sister is straddling you in such a suggestive fashion?" Gaara feels his sand bristle.

Temari tumbles back, blinking bemusedly as she takes in the sight of not Kankuro, but GAARA at her door. "Oh, it's you Gaara." That was a surprise. She thought he'd be in meetings all day. "Mr. Genius here thought that taking his cloak off in the middle of a desert in daylight was a smart move. I was cleaning him up."

"Good so there is no danger that you will be bearing an army of blond Uchihas in the relatively near future." Gaara sighs in relief at that.

Sasuke looks at Gaara is if he had grown another head. "An army of blond Uchihas?" Where did the red head come up with such things. "Really?"

An army of blond Uchihas, huh? The thought made Temari want to laugh, but her brother's overprotective streak made her want to smack him. "Gaara, I am twenty-two years old. IF I wanted to pop out an army of Uchihas, there is nothing you could do to stop me."

Sasuke decides it was best to remain silent between the sibling feud, if one could call it that. It was difficult to tell if it was playful banter or if the sand and wind might start flying soon.

"I suppose that's technically true." Gaara shakes his head and crosses his arms. "Though do you really think you would be prepared to deal with the consequences of such a thing?" He pauses fora moment. "No offense, Uchiha. I believe in second chances more than anyone, but you have to admit that would cause a frenzy in the press."

Sasuke couldn't deny that. "None taking." He stands up and reaches for shirt. "I doubt I'll be in the position to have an army of children with anyone, anytime soon." He smirks at the Kazekage's joke. "No offense to your family, of course."

Bickering with Naruto was one thing. Their banter usually ended in Chidoris and Rasengans, but Gaara was another. The Kazekage was capable of a verbal spar and while it wasn't the wisest course of action to egg his host on, Sasuke couldn't resist doing so. It was fun and the red head was a worthy opponent.

Temari coughs loudly. "Gaara…might I remind you that you've granted Sasuke free passage in and out of the village as an envoy from the Leaf." Even if it was mostly an honorary title that Naruto had pushed on him to ease Sasuke's travels, it was still not a good idea to get into a fight with one of the heroes of the last war. That sort of showdown would flatten the village.

"Well, yes." Gaara shakes his head in disbelief. "Come, Uchiha. I'll find you a room for the night. I assume you're staying at least until morning?"

"I am." Right now it was important to rest and perhaps get some traveling supplies before moving on. "You don't need to offer me a room though. I can purchase one at an inn." It was kind of Gaara and Sasuke knew why he was doing it, but he didn't want to take advantage of the Kazekage's hospitality. That and the more people saw him as a regular person, the better.

"Would you prefer to have people gawk at you in public whenever you leave your room at one of the inns?" Temari would admit that the San was better about such things, but thanks to Sasuke's reputation, he was going to be stared at no matter where he went.

He glances at her. "Not particularly, but people do have to get used to me eventually." Sasuke knew that if he kept refusing though, it could all too easily be conceived of as an insult. "Though if you insist, I'm grateful for your hospitality."

"Good, there's a free room three doors down the hall on the right side." Temari smirks at her little victory. "And contrary to what you might think, being seen around Gaara will go a long way towards having our people become comfortable around you. Most of the younger generation worship my brother. And the older generations have stopped squirming for the most part and largely regard him with respect."

"Being seen in his company will make them more likely to deem you safe, and even important." Of course, it wouldn't simply blow over that quickly, but the Sand hadn't been nearly as hurt by Sasuke's actions as the Leaf or Cloud had. Their grudges often blew away like the desert sand. Always shifting, always moving, almost alive.

"Good to know." He nods at her as he walks off, leaving Gaara to shoot her a series of incredibly baffled looks.

With the conclusion of his bafflement, Gaara strides out of his sister's room and shuts the door behind himself. His sister was not wrong in her logic, Gaara would give her that. But how they had ended up in her room together was still something of a mystery. "Well, Uchiha? Would you mind giving your version of the events that transpired?"

Sasuke wasn't sure how to even begin. "She started it?" Except that.

"Of course she did." Gaara knew very well that his sister was an instigator of situations. Passive was the last word that should be used to describe Temari. "And did she notice your…interest?" He shoots the Uchiha a sharp look.

He would rather face Madara a thousand times over than be caught in this situation. "I had a sunburn and she drug me off to treat it." Dealing with an overprotective brother who could sand coffin people was not on his To Do List, no matter how much stronger Sasuke was...Gaara had righteous fury on his side. "She's the one who decided she had to sit on me to apply the aloe to my chest and as for that other part, no." At least, he didn't think so. Temari would have said something if she had. This was only his second or third time talking to her and Sasuke already knew she was many things, but shy was not one of them.

While Gaara was still a little irritated that he had walked in on such a thing, he did have to admit that his sister had a very hands-on approach to many situations. After weighting the odds and possibilities in her mind, of course. What those possibilities were…only Nara could guess. "I take it that, at least in some ways, you find my sister attractive?"

"Gaara, I think you're smart enough to realize that no matter what I say, you're going to want to Sand Coffin me." Sasuke shrugs. "You're also smart enough to realize that us fighting won't end well for anyone." He starts towards his room. "So why don't we leave it at that?" Before a diplomatic incident was caused over a freaking sunburn!

And finally, the Kazekage's lips turn up in a smirk. "Yes, I suppose that you have a point." He shows Sasuke to the door of the guest room and eyes him cautiously. "Do be carefuly, though. My sister is a cunning and forward woman. She also makes for an excellent diplomat, when she keeps her temper in check." While Gaara did not seriously foresee it becoming an issue, his sister's actions today indicated that she was at least interested in manhandling the Uchiha for her own amusement. "Whatever she wants, she often finds a way to get. Watch yourself, for you seem to be the most interesting thing she's seen in quite a while."

"Gaara, I'm pretty sure that she just liked being able to boss me around and get away with it due to her political influence." Wait. That probably sounded worse than he meant it to. "She was 'messing with me.' That doesn't mean that she's trying to have my babies." Though the fact the Kazekage felt it necessary to 'warn' him was making Sasuke pause a bit. How much of that was merited and how much was just Gaara being an overprotective brother?

Gaara chuckles softly and shakes his head. "There is no political influence required. That is simply how Temari is. If you would prefer not to be 'bossed around', then I would suggest keeping a minimum of three hundred meters from her at all times." Gaara knew that from experience. Ever since he became a 'teddy bear', as Naruto put it, Temari was no longer afraid of telling him to do things in the comfort and privacy of their own home. "By virtue of her personality, she wields great power over men. And she enjoys it a little too much."

"I've noticed." Sasuke shakes his head. "To think there was once a time when she was terrified of you. It seems you've reversed roles." He couldn't help, but smirk at that observation.

Aqua eyes narrow instantly. "Enjoy having my sister tending to your burns. You'll have them for at least a week." And Temari would manhandle him for all that time.

"I've survived worse." The Uchiha shrugs, feeling a bit embarrassed over such a large commotion being made over perhaps the most mundane injury he had received this decade. I'll just stock up on aloe. Goodnight, Lord Kazekage." Never mind how painful it was. People got sunburns every day.

"Goodnight, Uchiha." The redhead turns and disappears from sight, heading to the kitchen to search for some sake. Clearly, the next week was going to need it, badly.


	2. Chapter 2

Fanning His Flames

 **Authors' Note:** Thanks for the reviews. We hope that you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 2

The next day, Sasuke decides to do something incredibly reckless. He was going to brave the Desert Sun in the name of purchasing some traveling supplies. This time though, he went prepared. To say the least, when he places nearly a gallon of sunscreen before he set off, but Sasuke was sure it would be worth it in the long run. He wouldn't make the same mistake twice.

He'd traveled far and wide ever since leaving the Leaf the first and second time. Though Sasuke had never been in such a practical village before. The buildings were designed to withstand sandstorms and all the shops were arranged by purpose. The clothing shops were in one section, the restaurants and food booths right next to that one and a little further along there was a section that appeared dedicated to selling ninja tools.

"The Leaf could learn something from them." He shakes his head at the thought, remembering the chaotic marketplace of his birth village.

The Sand Village was a lot smaller than the Leaf, but Sasuke didn't mind that. It just made finding everything easier and it was also again, quieter. Sure, people were talking, but no one was running around screaming their heads off. Even the kids appeared to play in ways that sowed less chaos and vandalism.

Three of the kids playing in the street chase a ball through the market, weaving and dodging like ninjas in training through the shopkeepers and market-dwellers while their parents did their shopping.

Sasuke smiles as he watches them chase their ball. He'd never really done that. The closest he came was practicing throwing kunais with Itachi and Shisui.

He shakes his head at the thought as if to banish it while heading to one of the stands that he was sure was selling jerky. Jerky was highly useful for missions. It could last a while, tasted good, and was fairly nutritious. He might as well stock up.

"How much for ten pounds? Enough to last on a long journey that won't spoil?" He glances at the man running the booth, hoping that he wouldn't faint or run off. Though to the Sand's Villages, they had mostly stuck to 'discrete whispers' thus far.

"Six thousand ryo, Sir." The shopkeeper eyes the Uchiha warily, but not disrespectfully. "We have boar and antelope from the plains, as well as dried bison meat from further north."

"I'll take a mix of all three." It was better to have variety when given a choice. "Here, keep the change." He hands him the six thousand and an extra five hundred ryo on top. The man was understandably wary, but he'd be stupid not to be. Sasuke couldn't hold that against him.

The shopkeeper nods, counting the money by eye, then tucking it away and reaching for a number of wrappers. He plucks each piece of jerky from the racks with metal tongs, inspecting them carefully before laying them in each of the three wrappers. "Are you searching for anything else in the way of supplies, young man?"

"Double the standard supplies for a long term mission." Sasuke still didn't know how long he'd wander and he had learned a long time ago that it was better to have too much than not enough. Delays happened and some villages didn't have what he needed.

"Then I would recommend that you check in with Akira down the street. She caters to the ninja of the village." The old shopkeeper nods towards the end of the street, where a large shop lay with a number of signs nailed to the outside. "Weapons, storage scrolls, camping gear, clothing and armor, medicinal ingredients and poisons."

He smirks at that. "In other words, save for the Kazekage, I imagine she's the most popular person in this village." Sasuke nods at him before stuffing his purchase into his traveling pack. "Thanks for your help." Not realizing that the scent of it was about to attract some very cute attention.

Two tiny furry figures dart between the sandstone walls of the shop, little noses in the air and sniffing their way towards the source of the meaty scent moving away from the human who always shooed them away.

One of the sandy-colored rascals leaps forward, 'biting' at the leg of the dark pants and pawing at the black sandals hungrily. The second mews softly and bumps its tiny head against the strange human's other leg, not recognizing the scent of this one, but knowing food when it smelled it.

Sasuke chuckles when he feels something paw at his leg and hears a quiet mewing sound. "Alright." He reaches into his traveling pack and takes out a few strips of jerky, tearing them into smaller pieces for the hungry felines. "Here."

The two mew happily and fluff themselves around Sasuke's ankles before tearing into the little pieces of meat. Upon devouring them, the little kittens begin purring and rubbing against the nice human's legs.

"Cute little beggars." He laughs softly as he leans down slightly to pet them and gives them a couple more pieces. He'd bought ten pounds of jerky and would buy even more food. It was highly unlikely that would make the difference between life and death. "There you go."

Snapping up the new offerings in a heartbeat, the two determined kittens lick at the human's fingers and start trying to crawl up his arm.

Sasuke sweatdrops. The kittens were probably trying to adopt him. "I'm sorry. I can't really take you with me." It would be one thing if he had a home, but he couldn't take two kittens trekking all over the Five Nations. "Though maybe I can talk Gaara into taking you in or something." He scoops them up, idly wonder if the Sand even had an animal shelter of some kind. These were just regular cats though, not ninja cats.

The two little fuzzballs purr contentedly in his arms, settling in against his chest. Their little pointed ears perk up, twitching this way and that as they peer around the market. But one of them turns its attention back to the pale fingers holding them up, licking and nipping at them with harmless baby teeth.

"Well, I suppose no one is going to worry about me Chidoring them when I'm holding two kittens." Sasuke shakes his head as he decides to head back towards the Kazekage Mansion. He'd complete his shopping later.

Curious brown eyes had watched the scene from across the street as the infamous Last Uchiha disappears in the crowd. And once he was out of sight, the giggles of two kunoichi erupt at the absurd cuteness of the scene. Who knew that Sasuke Uchiha had a soft spot for stray kittens?

* * *

As amusing as it would have been to tease and torment Sasuke all day, Temari did have actual work to do in their village's diplomatic relations sector. There were visits to arrange, the Chunin Exams to schedule and coordinate, selections for genin to be made to represent their village. It was even more important now that the war war over and the nations were settling down. They'd all lost a lot of power, and she would be instrumental in rebuilding the strength of the Sand Village.

That said, she did still intend to pay Sasuke another visit later to put another layer of aloe on those burns. Like now, since all of her correspondence for the day was finished. Every letter had been responded to, every report read, and every order that needed sending out was off her desk.

She sighs as she takes what few documents she has left from her desk and steps out of her office, locking it securely with a hidden seal just to be sure that no one tried to get into any mischief in there. Everyone knew what would happen if they were caught making mischief in Temari's office.

That's when she hears giggles wafting towards her as she strides down the hall. And she knew those giggles all too well. "Matsuri? Yukata? Aren't the two of you supposed to be working?" And sure enough, the two of them were standing huddled together and giggling like they'd seen the funniest thing in the world. "What's all the giggling about?"

"Oh Lady Temari, we're sorry." Yukata bows to her quickly. "U-Um maybe, M-Matsuri can explain." It was apparent both girls were terrified of being seeing as slackers.

Matsuri gulps. She could do this. Temari was Gaara's sister and Gaara was her Master. Surely, she could explain what was so funny. Even the most professional ninja would stop and gawk at what they had just witnessed.

"You won't believe this." She giggles nervously. "Sasuke Uchiha was feeding some stray cats and carried them off. Sasuke was petting kittens!" Come on. Anyone had to admit that was a surreal sight. Anyone would have stopped to stare. Right?

Temari raises an eyebrow at the claim. "Sasuke Uchiha was petting and carrying off kittens?" Clearly, someone had been out in the sun too long. "Are you feeling alright, Matsuri?"

"Yes, I'm fine." She looks at her friend. "You saw it too, right?" She hadn't been imaging things. Had she?

Luckily, her friend rises to the ocassion. "It's true! Lady Temari, I swear it! Half the village saw him returning to Lord Kazekage's mansion with them!" Okay, maybe not half, but that had still been a lot of people. "I'm sure that if you went to check, he would still be there with them."

While she prided herself on being too smart to fall for a trap, Temari had to admit that the image of Sasuke carrying kittens around provoked more than a slight curiosity in her. "I see. Well, since my work is done for the day, I'll investigate the possibility that the village seems to be suffering from mass hallucinations." Or potentially the most adorable image in the history of the great nations.

"Yes, My Lady." They both nod at her, feeling relieved that Temari was taking them seriously now.

"Now, stop gossiping in the halls, I'm sure that you both have better things to do." Temari snorts and strides past them. "I'm sure that my brother wouldn't be impressed with all the gossiping that goes on around here." Actually, she was pretty sure that he'd find at least some of it mildly amusing.

They nod and quickly get back to work. Neither of them wanted to disappoint their Kazekage. Still, Temari could hear some giggling as she walks away to do her investigation. Who could blame the girls though? The image of Sasuke and kittens was an amusing one indeed.

* * *

While she was attempting to be as quiet as a mouse and not alert Sasuke to her approach, Temari also didn't feel like she wanted to look like she was sneaking around her own home. So she simply silences her own footsteps, dampens her chakra slightly, and opens the door to her family's living quarters without even a click of the latch.

She steps into the sitting room and her eyes widen slightly as she finds Sasuke there, sitting on the couch with two sandy-colored kittens purring contentedly in his lap. There was a soft, calm smile on his face as he petted them and let them play with his fingers. And…it was the cutest damn thing she had ever seen. "So, the rumors were true." She smirks slightly. "Looks like I won't have to investigate a case of mass hallucination, after all."

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. "What rumors and why did were you curious about mass hallucinations?" He idly pets the happy felines."By the way, what's Gaara's stance on cat? I don't really want to give them to Kankuro because I think his makeup would scare them. Then again, you're pretty catty yourself. Maybe you're a better choice." He obviously couldn't take them with him and he didn't want to leave them to starve either.

While she couldn't deny being catty at times, Temari shakes her head at the thought of giving Kankuro pets. "You forget my brother's puppet obsession. I don't think cats and puppets would mix well. But they seem to like you. I thought that Matsuri and Yukata had let the heat get to them when they told me that you had been seen picking up and playing with stray kittens."

She crosses the room and holds her hand out to pet the kittens, only for them to largely ignore her in favor of the pale fingers they'd been chasing around for hours. "Looks like you're their favorite."

"Cats are smart. They'll butter up whoever feeds them." Sasuke shrugs as he watches Temari. "You're right. I think they'd be terrified of Kankuro. If you give them some jerky though, I imagine they'll take to you just as fast as they did me."

"Maybe." Though Temari doubted it. She'd fed the stray cats before, and not once did they climb all over her like they did Sasuke. "I think they just know a cat person when they see one."

"I usually like animals better than people." He glances down as seemingly a dozen moments flicker across his eyes in an instant. "That and I grew up with cats. The Inuzukas raise ninja dogs and my clan had Ninja Cats." They had never quite caught on the way that their canine counterparts had for obvious reasons though. Dogs were generally eager to please and cats were more independent. "I can't really take them with me though. They're regular cats. Not Ninja Cats."

Well that certainly put a damper on Temari's spirits. "You don't have to leave that quickly, you know. We're not going to chase you out or anything. Besides, those burns of yours are going to take a few more days to heal."

"Yeah a few days to heal." Sasuke strokes one of the kitten's fur. "I think they had something more long-term in mind than that though."

Clearly, but it didn't mean it wasn't an option. Temari's curiosity was starting to get the better of her, but she knew better than to show her hand too quickly. So she stands and walks over into the kitchen to pull down a pot for dinner. "Do you have any long-term plans in mind?" Or did Sasuke just expect to wander for the rest of his life?

"You know, I think you're the first person who has ever asked me that." He tilts his head at that and there was something akin to shock on his face before it was replaced by a smirk. "I have a couple long-term plans in mind, but nothing particularly specific in terms of how to achieve them." Something that left him more uneasy than he was ever going to admit.

"Only a couple?" Temari pulls a number of root vegetables from the cupboard, as well as a slab of meat purchased at a nearby butcher shop the day before. "They must be pretty important if you've got so few."

The kittens show great interest in the meat and dart over to investigate. Which was fine with Sasuke. It gave him an excuse to collect his thoughts. "They are." He nods at her, wondering if he should redirect this conversation. "It looks like you've got some new friends." Yes, that's exactly what he was going to do. The kittens had definitely earned the jerky he had given them earlier and then some.

So she did. It was rather cute how the two tiny kittens darted around her feet like they were trying to be little ninja cats. "Yes, they'll be good rat-catchers one day. As long as they don't get too spoiled by dangerous wandering ninja." Not that very many kinds of rats could survive this far out into the desert, but the ones that did were nothing to sneeze at. "Though you have to admit that when we were kids, if you had come across Gaara petting a couple of kittens, you would have stared at him for it. So I guess it shouldn't be a surprise that the villagers would start gossiping about you carrying around a couple of kittens."

"They're gossiping about me carrying kittens." Sasuke blinks. "I expected them to talk about me, but not over that." Well, he supposed there were worse things for them to talk about. "You're right though. I would have stared. Mostly because your father decided it was bloodlust at first sight for us."

"Yes, Father was…not a great role model for any of us." Though Temari liked to think that she turned out okay, despite that. "But it's thanks to Naruto and you that Gaara changed the way he did." And for that, Temari was very thankful. And mostly no longer terrified of her little brother. Now, she was just worried that he would start poking his nose where it didn't belong. Namely into her love life.

Sasuke rolls his eyes. "I never met the man obviously, but I'm told the Fourth Kazekage was revived during the war and he and Gaara reconciled." The thought makes him unexpectedly bitter and Sasuke realizes with a start that he was actually envious of the red head in that regard. "Itachi did horrific things in the name of peace, so maybe the man had a DAMN good reason why he put a Tailed beast inside his pregnant wife that I'm just unaware of." He'd never gotten that chance with his own father.

Fugaku Uchiha hadn't been revived during the war. Sasuke wasn't sure why. He could have been useful to the enemy with his own visual prowess and had once been a Hokage candidate, but only Itachi came back and it was because of that that they had won the war. If Itachi hadn't taken out Kabuto...

Well, Sasuke didn't want to think on that any longer. All he knew was that he'd never get the chance to speak with his father again and he was NOT pleasantly disposed towards someone who would do that to their wife and child. No wonder Gaara had been a bloodthirsty monster when they met.

"Power, to protect the village, only to decide that Gaara wasn't stable enough to live because our father lied to him over and over and kept him from having any kind of normalcy in his childhood." It was something that Temari hadn't, and would never forgive their father for.

"I wouldn't say that they reconciled. Just that Gaara forgave Father for all of the lies he was told that turned him into the monster he became. That our mother never loved him, that our uncle never loved him, that…no one ever would." Her hands shake with anger as she slices into the meat, cutting it into ever smaller pieces.

Sasuke shakes his head as he walks over to her and deftly takes the knife out of her hand. "I shouldn't have commented on it." He knew even less about her family than she knew of his. "I didn't mean to upset you. Let me get it for you." True, she was a jonin and a formidable ninja in her own right, but Sasuke didn't like the way her hands were shaking while she was cutting up her meal. It was better to offer to do it himself.

"I'm fine, I can do it myself." Temari wouldn't be seen as weak. She could NEVER be seen as weak. No matter how much she hated her bastard of a father who conspired with criminals and reneged on treaties and killed her mother, then turned her sweet little brother into a monster.

The kittens fluff her and Sasuke couldn't help, but smile at that. Animals did have a sixth sense about that sort of thing. Maybe it would be best to distract her.

"I know you can." Sasuke twirls the knife in his hand for a second, not entirely if it was safe to give back to her just yet. So he does what Itachi would have done in this situation. "You asked me if I had any long-term plans were. Did you still want to know?" He uses a diversion.

Temari takes a deep breath, realizing that she was being stupid and unreasonable, and that her pride did NOT want to bend. But she welcomes the chance at a momentary distraction. "Alright. What are your long-term plans?"

"I want to restore my family's name. That's why I travel. I figure if I do enough good, that eventually it might balance out the horrible things that I've done in the past." Sasuke shakes his head as though trying to banish some unpleasant thoughts. "It's not safe to even attempt my second goal until that happens." That and he didn't want to face the Leaf Village again. Not just yet anyway. That place had far more unpleasant memories than pleasant ones. The very foundation of that village was built just as much on his family's blood as earth and stone.

Temari had seen Sasuke's path of destruction. Not every step of the way, but she had witnessed the effects for herself. She knew very well what it felt like to need to redeem yourself. She and her brothers had felt the same way, to a lesser degree, after their betrayal of the Leaf Village all those years ago. "A noble goal. And your second one is…?"

He smiles at her. "You're a brilliant strategist. I would have thought you'd have figured out the second one." Though it wasn't as if he advertised it anymore. "I want to restore my Clan." Only this time, they wouldn't be taken away from him.

Her lips twitch into a faint smile. "You want to find someone to pop out your army of Uchihas?" Gaara had proposed the notion, but it was still a funny one. "The world will quake in terror at the thought."

"That's not exactly how I would put it, but accurate enough." Sasuke looks away a little embarrassed. "I want a family again."

"Got any candidates lined up?" Temari slides the knife back out of Sasuke's grip and goes about finishing the cutting, before dropping all of the raw meat into the pot. "I hear that you used to have quite the fan club back in your village. I bet some of them would like the whole bad boy vibe you throw off when you're not petting kittens."

He laughs at that. "Candidates? I'm not Kakashi. I'm not hosting a beauty contest." Sasuke had never been as big a sucker for a pretty face as his Sensei was. "That's another reason why I left the Leaf though. There's no one there that I could see myself with, especially anyone who belonged to my fanclub. All the woman my age are civilians, insane, or taken." That or he just wasn't attracted to them. In theory, there wasn't really anything 'wrong' with someone like Tenten. There was just no spark.

"What if you went for an older woman? You don't have to limit yourself to just the girls in your age group." After all, her own age group was pretty small. Temari had been in one of those small years, unlike her brothers. And being held back to take the Chunin Exams had put her behind what few peers she had.

"I never really thought about it." Sasuke tilts his head at that. "Probably because most of the more experienced female ninjas also fit in that category." He pauses. "I thought I'd find someone outside the village or end up marrying a younger Leaf Villager. My parents are five years apart, but an older woman might be better." In theory, they were less likely to be prone to acting like Academy girls. "The Mizukage did call me handsome, but that's unlikely to go anywhere considering I attacked the Kage Summit."

"You also helped save the world, so I think that might help cancel that out. Even if it doesn't, she's not the only cougar out there." Though the thought of that old lady trying to seduce Sasuke made Temari want to throw the slowly boiling pot of water on the woman's head. "Besides, would you really want to live in that soggy place for the rest of your life?"

"Location doesn't really matter to me, but why are you referring to the Mizukage as a big cat?" Sasuke looks at her with genuine confusion.

Oh boy. Time for Temari to teach this boy a lesson, then. "It doesn't mean the animal, Uchiha." Temari wipes her hands off and steps right into Sasuke's personal space, pressing her hands against the counter on either side of his hips. "A cougar is a woman, usually in her thirties, or older, who likes to chase younger men."

"Ah. What do you call the male counterpart?" Sasuke wasn't getting why they chose a cougar to represent this type of woman, but the definition was easy to understand.

Temari deadpans. "Orochimaru. Wasn't he the one trying to get in your pants? Literally?"

"..." For the first time in his life, Sasuke Uchiha was completely speechless. Well at least for a moment. "No. He wanted my body for other reasons and if he had tried anything like that I would have killed him sooner."

Mischievous laughter bubbles up Temari's throat as she moves back to the cutting board to chop up the root vegetables for the stew. "You did have us wondering for a while. After all, you disappeared for three years, and no one from either of our villages could find you. So you can't blame us for coming to…conclusions."

"I think you're far more sadistic than Gaara was in your own way." Sasuke rolls his eyes. "I left to train with him because I was desperate." He would have done anything to kill Itachi at the time. "I was also ridiculously naive, but I did my best to stay out of THAT aspect of the Sound's culture." He had almost walked in on more than a couple scenes that would have been too deviant even for Jiraiya's tastes. "I did get the occasional eyeful, but I made it out of that place without participating in any of their...games." Though he had received some rather interesting invites. Something to do with the number sixty-nine. Sasuke still didn't get that one.

A teal gaze falls on Sasuke, scrutinizing him a moment. Then a profoundly hilarious realization dawns on her. "…You've never had sex, have you?" He was just so straightforward, and seemed almost sexy at times without meaning to be. It was totally natural, and yet…he didn't get the simple things. Hell, the last time Naruto had come for a visit, even HE got all of her dirty jokes. But Sasuke just…didn't.

This conversation wasn't going in his favor. "I never said that. I said that I didn't indulge in such things while in the Sound." Of course, afterwards there had been a war going on and while Sasuke could have found a lover during his travels, he just hadn't. Temari didn't need to know that though.

"So…you indulged them with your red-headed teammate, then?" Because Temari doubted that he would have taken a civilian to his bed. Too boring. "Or maybe the one with the white hair. You never did say if you were only interested in women."

"I'm only attracted to women." Sasuke glowers at her for the teasing. "As for Karin, we were never more than teammates." She wanted to be, but that didn't mean the attraction was returned.

"Well you didn't seem like a man getting some action when I saw you at the summit, and you've been too ridden in guilt since the war. I suppose it could have been after the summit, but from what Naruto said, you'd gone blind by then, so the probably wouldn't have been much fun." Temari scoops up the vegetables and drops them into the pot with a splash. "You don't have to dodge the question, you know." She glance over her shoulder with a smile. "It's okay to be an innocent virgin. Everyone starts that way, after all."

He really didn't know why or how they'd gotten into this conversation. "If you're not in Intelligence, you should be. How the fuck did we go from my trying to make you feel better to discussing...this?" It might surprise more people, Sasuke knew, but he rarely cursed. This was definitely a curse-worthy moment though.

"I've worked in intelligence before. But Gaara has me doing diplomacy instead." Temari shrugs, her eyes dancing with amusement. "But it's useful when figuring out how to negotiate if I know how to make the person across the table dance for me. Just like I made you dance around from telling me your life goals to your sexual status. But you know it's not that hard to change it, right? In fact, I bet that it's only because you left the Leaf so young that you avoided getting sent on any infiltration missions. With a face like that, you'd be one of my first picks."

"I suppose that makes sense." The woman could give Itachi a run for his money when it came to mind games, Sasuke decides. "My Clan NEVER got sent on those kinds of missions. The Leaf wouldn't have risked anything that might have resulted in the Sharingan being spread outside our village and I wouldn't have accepted those kinds of missions, even if asked." He knew she meant it as a compliment, but Sasuke's pride wouldn't allow himself to take on a mission like that.

Temari rolls her eyes. Honestly, the impracticality of some villages. With a pretty face and natural talents at genjutsu, an Uchiha would be perfect for a seduction mission. "Pity. But I suppose that would have just given the Leaf an extra leg up on everyone. I guess it shouldn't be too surprising that the Leaf failed to properly use the talents and resources available." They always had used a softer hand with their ninja. She never would have been able to get away with being as lazy as Nara.

"Meow." The kittens look up at the humans curiously. Sasuke was pretty sure they were wondering what they were talking about, but maybe that was just his imagination.

Sasuke wasn't completely naive. "I know that such missions are relatively common." He wouldn't judge ninjas who had to take them and knew that some of their peers might even enjoy them depending who was the target. "I'm just glad that I was never 'utilized' in that fashion." That didn't mean he was one of them though.

With a snort, Temari shakes her head and moves on Sasuke again, completely unafraid of getting in Sasuke's face, despite his reputation. "They're not that hard." Her fingers trail slowly up the front of his shirt. "You just need to know precisely what buttons to press, and your target becomes putty in your hands."

He watches her not sure how to react to that. "I prefer to press the buttons of someone of MY choosing." Temari spoke of the topic so casually. Sasuke wasn't sure if it was a cultural difference or if he had just been lucky because he was an Uchiha and left the Leaf early. In the back of his mind, he wanted to know just how many of these seduction missions Temari had been on, but he knew better than to ask. It wasn't any of his business.

"Then maybe you should find someone of your choosing and find out just what those buttons are." She backs off with a smirk and turns on heel to stir the gently boiling pot on the stove. "There's a bigger world than your village out here, Uchiha. And you won't get your Uchiha army by sitting around and watching the scenery go by."

He follows, well more like stalks Temari to the stove. Sasuke had been mocked by her far too many times tonight. Even the kittens were smart enough to move to the side as he approaches her and shuts the stove off before wrapping her in one powerful arm and reaching for her front with the other.

"I suppose you're right." His hold ensures there wasn't an inch of space between them as he brushes his lips against her ear and his other hand suggestively caresses her clothed breasts. "After all, given how giddy you are at the prospect of sending me off on a seduction mission, I imagine that's projection on your part and I could have you out of this kimono and onto the kitchen counter screaming my name in thirty seconds or less, if I really wanted to. After all, you've repeatedly told me how easy it is to seduce someone." He tweaks a clothed nipple before sliding his hand further down her stomach and towards the sash of her kimono, slowly tugging at it. "Might as well get started on that Uchiha Army, right?"

"Hm…seems like you're learning a bit. But…" She pulls at his wrists and spins around in his arms. "You're supposed to give her a kiss first. It's better for getting to know you." She brushes her lips over his with a smirk. "Maybe you need a few lessons about foreplay first."

Sasuke almost jerks back on instinct. Kakashi had always told that a ninja must expect the unexpected, but just hadn't foreseen the possibility Temari would react in such a fashion. In all honesty, Sasuke had thought that his sudden vulgarity would either send her running or stun her into silence, but instead she was being sassy. Possibly to embarrass him, but clearly he needed to retaliate in some way.

"You really enjoy fucking with people." He leans ever closer to her. "Maybe it's time that someone does the same to you." Sasuke would Chidori himself before he ever admitted this, but other than Naruto he still hadn't kissed anyone and even then, those had been accidents. Still, the Sharingan had its purposes.

He'd seen more than enough to copy techniques, even if that hadn't been his intention in the Sound. So Sasuke didn't have an issue kissing her. First a quiet brush against the lips and once he was sure he shocked her by returning the gesture, he deepens the kiss. Devouring her mouth in a fiery kiss. She had a sassy mouth, she'd probably enjoy a more combative kissing style.

Now THAT was a kiss, not that weak-ass first attempt. Temari smirks against his lips and winds her arms around his neck. "Much better." Her fingers wind into his hair just as the front door opens again.

Gaara walks in and much to Sasuke's horror, it didn't take the Kazekage even two seconds two realize what was going on. "Uchiha, dare I even ask?" He raises either a nonexistent or invisible eyebrow at them. Did Gaara even have eyebrows, Sasuke wonders to himself.

"She started it." Sasuke didn't know what else to say. "It's a long story." Damn. What was it about this woman that made him sound like he was back in the Academy so often? She started it?!

Temari slaps her forehead in frustration. Yet again, her little brother had the WORST timing. Then, she sighs. "…Dinner's ready."

But apparently, she would be going to bed without dessert tonight.


	3. Chapter 3

Fanning His Flames

 **Authors' Note:** Thanks for the reviews. We hope that you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 3

Sasuke had been in the Sand for a little less than a week when disaster strikes in the form of a silver haired ninja with an borderline unhealthy appreciation for adult 'romance' novels. "Kakashi, what are you doing here?" The Uchiha in question tries his best not to gape at the other man, but it was almost impossible not to.

One moment, Sasuke had been stocking up on traveling supplies again and the next he hard some giggling coming from the book store. Again his better judgement, Sasuke had peeked in only to discover that Kakashi was flirting with some shop keeper.

Kakashi snaps his book shut and winks at the pretty shopkeeper before ambling over to the most rebellious of his old students. "Well, I've heard that the Sand Village is rather lovely this time of year, so I thought I would come visit. I have to say that it's been a beautifully warm welcome so far."

"Uh huh." Sasuke wasn't sure that he bought Kakashi was just a tourist. "Yeah. It's a nice village, but I wouldn't get any ideas, Kakashi." He shakes his head at the other man's attempts at flirting. "I'm not sure that even you could handle the women of this village." Hell, Sasuke wasn't sure that HE could handle the women of this village. Well more specifically, a certain blonde. Who also happened to be the Kazekage's sister.

"Who said anything about handling? I don't mind if they play a little rough." Kakashi was of the opinion that any woman who needed a man to handle her was not going to be very well-suited to handling a ninja man. "Besides, a little bird told me that one of my favorite students had dropped by for a visit, here, so I thought it might be a nice idea to catch up before he disappears again."

He raises an eyebrow at that. "Kakashi, you've only ever had three students." There was no malice in it though. Sasuke mostly wanted his former instructor to know that he hadn't been fooled that easily. "As for your taste in women, I could have lived my entire life without knowing that." Several lifetimes actually.

Kakashi was the closest thing that Sasuke had to a living father at the moment. He half pawns that off to the fact Kakashi had experience with the Sharingan. Though Sasuke knew the truth. Kakashi was an older male figure in his life and had taught him his trademark jutsu. So in that way, he shared quite a bit in common with Fugaku. After all, the former Uchiha patriarch had taught him how to throw the very same fireballs that Sasuke hurled at his perverted teacher so long ago during that damn bell test.

Well, the jab at his taste in women aside, Kakashi smiles amiably, not disagreeing with Sasuke's observation. "I may have only had three official students, but it just makes all three of you all the more precious to me."

"You're a deviant of the highest order and the only time you're on time is to save your life or someone else's, but every once in awhile you do say something profound." Sasuke smirks at him as he waits a second before he goes in for the 'kill.' "Which is probably why I didn't Chidori your 'bells' off for making us stand around waiting for hours on end while we were on Team Seven."

"You also didn't know it until halfway through the Chunin Exams, after which, we didn't have many missions together." It was an unfortunate fact, but true. Still, it likely had saved Kakashi from some frustrated attempts at getting him to be punctual. "So I wasn't too worried about that."

"Well, there was always an old fashioned fireball." Sasuke shrugs as if Kakashi should have been more terrified. "Anyway, we should probably let Gaara know you're here. I'd ask you your opinion on cats, but you have a bunch of ninja dogs." So that likely wouldn't work.

"Alright, we can pay the Kazekage a visit." But Sasuke wanted opinions on cats? That was a rather odd topic for Sasuke to delve into. And Kakashi only said that because it was such a normal topic. His students didn't do normal very well. "You always struck me as a cat person. But I must admit that I prefer dogs."

"Alright." He begins leading Kakashi towards the Kazekage Tower. "I'm sure that Gaara will be happy to see you and yes, I like cats. I can't really keep them considering how much traveling I'm doing. I did find two friendly strays though..."

Oh ho, so that was the issue, then. Kakashi knew all too well about his wayward student's self-imposed crusade. A new one to replace the old. "You know, there's nothing stopping you from keeping them, Sasuke. Every stray cat needs a good home."

He gives Kakashi a dirty look. "They're not Ninja Cats, Kakashi." Sasuke didn't have the heart to drag them everywhere with him. "It'd be selfish to have them follow me around. They'd be happier in a more stable home."

Kakashi sighs silently. To see one of his students go from destructive selfishness to a self-destructive selflessness was certainly not on his bucket list. "Yes, having a stable home does make for a happier cat. It makes for happier people, too."

"Are you about to give me a speech about putting down roots too?" He tilts his head to the side as if not sure whether or not he wanted to laugh or be annoyed.

"Oh, so you've been given the speech already?" Good, then that meant there were more than just a few people who cared about Sasuke's well-being. Kakashi was glad for that fact. "Then has the point sunk in, or do you need a repeat lesson, like during the bell test?" Their teamwork skills had needed more than a little prodding, to put it gently.

"The bell test is pointless at this juncture, but I suppose it would evoke a certain nostalgia." He smiles for a moment, only to frown at the real reason why he hadn't left the Sand Village yet. "If it makes you feel any better, yes someone else gave me the speech and for once, it wasn't Naruto." Temari. Whatever 'game' she was playing clearly wasn't finished and while Sasuke wasn't certain what he wanted the outcome to be, he did know one thing...he'd never reacted to a woman the way he did her before.

Sure, Sasuke had been attracted to some women before. He'd never felt the need to ACT on it though. That was the difference. The memory of their brief encounter in the kitchen still sent his Sharingan and Rinnegan whirling even days after the fact.

Interesting…that was something Kakashi hadn't expected. Sasuke hadn't simply brushed off the conversation. He was still here, after all. "Well, I think I'd take it to heart if I were you. There's people who care about you Sasuke. And no matter where you are, as long as you're happy, that's enough."

"I'm not entirely sure what I am anymore, but it's better than it was before." Sasuke shrugs, trying to feign disinterest as he takes Kakashi inside the tower. "Gaara, you've got another guest."

Better was good, but not necessarily best. But Kakashi would prod again later. Best to let Sasuke cool and think it over first. "Lord Kazekage." Kakashi greets Gaara respectfully. "I see I have you to thank for taking in my wandering student."

Gaara tries his best to refrain from laughing at that. "It is good to see you again, Kakashi. There is no need to bow." He nods at him. "We are friends, are we not? As for the Uchiha, the Sand is happy to have him here for as long as he chooses to stay."

At least Sasuke had received a relatively warm welcome. Kakashi's lips turn up at the corners. "I try to make a note of at least pretending to observe formalities. But it is good to see you again, Gaara. And I'm sure that Naruto will be pleased to know that you're in such good spirits."

"You do a good job at pretending, I almost took you seriously and I hope that Naruto is doing well." He nods at Kakashi. "Come. I believe, I still have that bottle of sake that Lady Tsunade sent me and the prospect of an intoxicated Uchiha is a most amusing one."

Sasuke rolls his eyes at that. "I'm sure that it is, but I have a high tolerance." He had to because Suigetsu drank like a fish when given a chance.

"I'm sure that we can still give it a good try." Kakashi wasn't one to toot his own horn, but being a member of the ANBu and going on countless undercover missions often required him to drink copiously and still maintain his wits about him.

Gaara chuckles and nods as he pours them both a drink to start with. The red head was certain the results of this evening would be hilariously entertaining.

* * *

Sasuke had lost count of the number of drinks he had had, which was probably why inhibitions seemed to have decreased to almost zero. "Mei, huh?" Well, the Uchiha could see why Kakashi would be interested. "Temari says she's a cougar. So she'd probably still go for you. You are a couple years younger than her, I think."

"She's a beautiful woman." Though Kakashi would hardly call her a cougar. Then again, she had hit on his student, so maybe she could be called one. "And it's a four month difference, Sasuke. I know. I asked."

"Well, she's always talking about her hopes to get married." Gaara smiles at Kakashi. "So perhaps you have a chance."

"Yes, I'd like to think so." Kakashi swirls the clear liquor around in his cup and takes a long, slow sip. "I'd also like to think that I imparted some wisdom onto my students in the ways of women. But I regret to say that Naruto learned more from Jiraiya than from myself. And Sasuke…" Kakashi eyes him skeptically. "Did not have a very thorough education while he was with me. I hoped his travels abroad would fix that, but I haven't heard so much as a perverted comment from him. I'm almost ready to give him up as a lost cause…"

Sasuke rolls his eyes at Kakashi. "I prefer quality over quantity." Maybe that would make his teacher cease his babbling. He preferred teasing Kakashi about Mei to being interrogated over his own love life.

"I wouldn't say that. He does seem to find himself in compromising positions with my sister more often than can be purely accidental." Gaara scoffs at the thought. "Once could be pawned off to an accident, but twice?"

"Twice?" Kakashi raises a curious eyebrow. "I see that you've been busier than I expected." And maybe that was a good thing. Kakashi had been worried that Sasuke was punishing himself by refusing relationships entirely. Though the idea that perhaps his student was merely not interested in the fairer sex had crossed his mind. "I suppose now I don't need to look for erotic reading of the more exotic variety for you."

"It's not like that...not exactly." Sasuke honestly didn't know what it was like though.

"To be fair, I'm sure that Temari initiated whatever strange dance they're involved in and I'm thoroughly traumatized." Gaara was quite certain he was going to get eyestrain by how much he was rolling his eyes these days.

"Oh, then what would you call it?" Even if Temari had initiated this dance of theirs, it seemed like Sasuke was dancing to her tune at least somewhat willingly. And Kakashi could smell a romantic plot a mile away.

"Well, the first time she was treating my injuries and Gaara just walked in at the wrong time and made a lot of mistake assumptions." Sasuke nods as if that explained everything as he reaches for another glass of sake.

"And the second time? Was that also an 'accident?'" Like hell was Kakashi going to waste the opportunity that a tipsy Sasuke presented. "She's a rather attractive young lady to end up in two 'accidents' with."

"She provoked me." He glances at Gaara. "I know she's your sister, but you know what she's like. She kept going on about how she would have assigned me to missions involving seduction, if I had been a Sand Ninja and things of that nature..."

"Well, you certainly would have been good at it if you ever decided to turn on the Uchiha charm." Kakashi smirks into his drink. "I understand the reasoning behind the taboo against sending Uchihas on seduction missions, but do you really think that 'rule' was followed? Shisui was famous in the ANBU for the way he could charm a woman out of her secrets. I don't suppose you take after him in that respect…?"

Sasuke grabs yet another glass of sake. "I don't know what his reasons for doing that were, but the fact you had to ask whether or not I'd agree to perform those sorts of missions just proves you've had too much to drink." He snorts at the very idea that he'd allow himself to be pawned off in such fashion.

Kakashi raises his cup, not denying that he was, in fact, starting to become rather drunk. "To life in the ANBU, and to seducing people you don't care about for crucial information." He'd enjoyed it as much as he could during his tenure as an elite assassin. But there was something about teaching that drew him more than those covert missions. Even if it had been a rather difficult road. "I suppose you're lucky in that you'll get to choose who you're seducing. Temari's not a bad pick, but she's a bit young for my tastes."

Gaara glowers at Kakashi. "That's my sister you're talking about!" The Kazekage's sand begins to shake with a not so subtle warning and he wasn't alone in his outrage.

"Not bad? The woman is a Jonin and unlike most of the Leaf's female ninjas, she's intelligent and doesn't have the body of a twelve year old boy." Well, that might not have been the brightest thing to say in front of Gaara, Sasuke muses. Though thankfully the red head was more annoyed with Kakashi than paying attention to him. "Though age aside, she's not your type. She's not dumb enough to fall for your seductive mission ploys. So that automatically disqualifies her."

"It's good to see that I'm the topic of your weird drunk debate. And that my little brother insists on defending my honor to his last breath." The once closed door hangs open as Temari stands in the doorway with an eyebrow raised. "Though Sasuke's right. I'm not that dumb. But if I were five years older…" She looks Kakashi up and down, then shrugs. "I prefer my men tall, dark, and handsome. But maybe I could have been persuaded about silver."

"I'm your brother." Gaara's words were only slightly slurred. "It's what family is supposed to do for one another and don't encourage him." He shakes his head.

Kakashi smirks into his cup. This young lady was good…she'd picked up on the jealousy and over-protectiveness in the room instantly.

Sasuke finds himself at a loss for words. On one hand, it was good to hear Temari reaffirm what he had just told Kakashi. On the other, he did not like the fact that the blonde had then said she might have found his former Sensei an appealing choice, if she was just a few years older.

"I think the debate was just winding down." Sasuke rolls his eyes as he tries to stomp down the twitchy feeling known as jealousy and to regain what was left of his dignity. "Kakashi is feeling so pleased by his own cleverness, that I'm sure he can keep himself company anyway."

"I think Gaara can keep him company for now. It would be wrong to leave a guest to the village on their own while they're drunk half out of their mind." Temari strides smoothly across the room. "Speaking of…" She reaches down for Sasuke's cup and slides it from his fingers, tipping the shot of sake down her throat and placing the empty cup back down. "I think you've had enough for the evening, don't you?"

He was definitely highly intoxicated, Sasuke decides. "You're probably right on both counts." The sight of the blonde drinking sake shouldn't have been erotic, but it was for some reason that he didn't fully understand. But he understood enough.

"Come with me. You need some air." Temari guides Sasuke smoothly from the chair opposite Gaara and towards the door. "Behave yourself, Little Brother. I don't want to have to babysit your hungover ass in the morning, too."

Gaara grumbles something incoherent as Sasuke walks off with Temari. He didn't really see how 'air' was going to do anything for his intoxication levels, but it was probably for the best. Kakashi gentle ribbings were in danger of getting him some broken ribs.

"Better now?" Temari loops her arm through his as she leads Sasuke down the long, winding stairs of the mansion and away from the upper floor offices. "You looked like you wanted to punch him through the window."

"Marginally better, yes." Sasuke blinks at the contact, but doesn't protest. Images of her downing that damn sake were now playing in his head. "Kakashi is Kakashi. One would think that the CopyCat Ninja would have copied common sense at some point, but that doesn't appear to be the case."

"Oh, I don't know about that." Temari smirks mischievously. "I think that he was trying to manipulate you into telling him what he wanted to know. And you fell for it hook, line, and sinker."

"I think he was well on his way to a Chidori where NO man wants Chidoried." Sasuke scoffs. "It's not like I didn't tell him anything he didn't already know."

Temari shakes her head. "It's not what you said to him, Sasuke. It was what you didn't say." And this guy was supposed to be a genius? Clearly, that label suffered greatly when he was drunk. So, she pushes him through the door to the living quarters and up against the wall, intent on spelling it out for him. "You were jealous."

Part of him was surprised she'd push him against the wall and the other part, well it wasn't. "Again, I wasn't telling him anything that he didn't know." He brushes his lips against the shell of Temari's ear. "Kakashi knows that my Clan has always been a possessive one. In that respect, we share a great deal in common with our primary element. Our passions run hot whether that's on the battlefield or off it. He's a manipulative bastard. There's no point in lying to him. Doesn't meant that I have to give him the satisfaction of saying it out loud."

Sasuke makes a mental note never to take that much sake again. His tongue was definitely a lot looser than it had ever been, but this was Temari. The woman had missed her calling in the Interrogation Unit. It was likely she already knew all this and more.

Temari snorts with amusement. "You might as well have said it out loud with the way you were glaring at him." Could you say obvious, much? "But that's good to know. I'm not a fan of sharing either. Especially not when I have to share someone's attention." Especially if they were at work all the time and three days away and barely bothered to even send a letter.

"That's a bit odd considering how giddy you were at the prospect of sending me out to seduce random women." He knew that she liked to provoked him, so he'd provoke her right back. "Besides, you can't pretend that you weren't happy with my response. You wouldn't have kissed me like that and flirted with him, if you didn't want me to react that way."

"Oh…?" She lowers her eyelids slightly, a spark of heat lighting in her eyes. "Then should I flirt with him a little more to get your attention? It seemed to work the first time."

He leaves a trail of kisses from her ear to her jaw, stopping just before her lips. "You're supposed to be a genius, you should know that you have my attention." Far more than she should have really. "You're playing with fire and I know you're smart enough to realize that doing so could get you burned. So I'm not sure why...you don't strike me as shallow enough to be risking such a thing just because you find me attractive, nor are you the type to be lusting after a bloodline." They had known each other since they were Genin, but not well. So he wasn't really sure it could be love, but people were forever babbling about love at first sight and things of that nature. Whatever it was, it did feel deeper than just a surface attraction.

"I don't need a bloodline, we have one that already runs in the family." She smirks and raises her hand, forcing him to tilt his head up ever so slightly so that she could ghost a kiss over his lips. She snorts softly, her hand gliding up to tug on those spiky locks. "But welcome to the Land of Wind, where I think you'll find that we like to play with fire."

Itachi had always called him foolish, but Sasuke didn't agree. He was more impulsive than anything. Most of his life had been driven on whims. Whether they were wise ones or not, didn't matter. If he felt something, he acted on it.

That was probably why he finds himself kissing Temari again. This wasn't like his previous kisses. Those had been accidents or based on some bizarre unspoken challenge Temari had issued towards him. This one was different. It was entirely by choice.

"You can't say that I didn't warn you." Sasuke deepens the kiss before she had a chance to speak. his body now quite keen on the idea of exploring whatever she was willing to let him. "You know that right?" He'd never really acted on these sorts of impulses before her and Sasuke supposed that this was nature's way of shattering the dam he had built. The thought of seeking out a lover had just never occurred to him or if it had, it was always brushed to the side. That was something he would do later when the time came to settle down and restore his Clan. He wasn't sure if this was later or not, but her lips did feel good against his own and maybe that was enough fro the moment.

Her fingers tighten in his hair and she shifts half a step forward, pressing their bodies together through the thin clothing forced by the desert heat. She smirks into the kiss and slips her tongue into his mouth, caressing his own with an equally fiery passion.

It was a surreal and wonderful feeling. His entire world was bathed in crimson red and lavender. Sasuke had always known the Sharingan was activated by powerful emotions, but they had always been negative in nature as far as he knew, but he had learned otherwise at the Sound Village.

"You know, I always hated Kabuto, but he was right about one thing." The bastard had been all too gleeful to inform Sasuke that Sharingans (and apparently, now Rinnegans) could be activated by more positive emotions. More specifically, lust. Sasuke had privately thought that Kabuto was just making things up, but as he savors the feeling of Temari's kiss...he knew better. The narcissistic medic had been right.

Her eyes slide open a fraction, gazing up into his with a quizzical, almost analytical light. "What? That your chakra flow to your eyes increases when you're turned on?"

He blinks at that. "Yes, that's...accurate." A clinical description, but a true one. "It seems that your title as a genius was well earned, if you were able to discern that so easily." She might be slightly masochistic due to her attraction to him, but still there was no denying that Temari was an amazing strategist in her own right.

"Previous observation and current context." She'd known that his Sharingan activated in battle, and that he got heated during battle, so emotions were an obvious link. And…context was her pressing him up against the wall. Not a giant leap. "Now that my theory is confirmed, I think we were doing something much more interesting." She leans back in and captures his lips once more in a kiss, not content to be a passive receiver.

Fortunately, they were close enough to the living room that it was a simple matter for Sasuke to scoop the blonde up into his arms as if they were newlyweds and carry her to the nearby couch. The living room was just around the corner and he mentally pats himself on the back for managing to carry and kiss her at the same time while slowly lowering her onto the silken furniture.

Temari laughs, amused by the sudden shift in power dynamics but more than willing to go along with it. "You're a good kisser for someone with no experience." Because going along with this meant that she might have a real challenge on her hands for once.

"You didn't seem to mind my lack of experience when you were moaning into my kiss a few seconds ago." Sasuke shakes his head at her as he playfully pins her to the couch.

"I guess I was too distracted by your fire to notice." She tugs him down to lay flat atop her and mouths along his jaw before sucking a dark bruise into the pale skin of his neck, now finally healed from the sunburns he'd arrived with.

He would have issued a witty or possibly scathing retort at that, but it was hard to focus on anything when she did that! "T-Temari!" He'd always known that his neck was sensitive. Hence why he had favored high collars for so long, but never had Sasuke realized exactly how sensitive it was until Temari decided to turn it into her own personal sensual chew toy. If this was what Karin felt like when he bit her, he could understand the moans now. Fuck!

Temari smiles against his neck, pulling back just enough to see the dark red spot emblazoned on the ivory canvas. "Hm…red really is a good color for you."

"I've always thought so." He looks at her with amusement. "You're just as possessive as any Uchiha woman. I think that mark might actually last longer than the sunburn."

"That's the point." And she barely resists the urge to mark him up again. "Why do you think I wanted the sunburn to heal?" No one ever would have seen it with his skin so red. That, and it would have hurt like a bitch to put it there in the first place.

Sasuke blinks at that. For the first time in his life, someone other than Itachi had rendered him completely speechless.

Temari chuckles and presses one more kiss to Sasuke's lips. Because it looked like she'd found the fire and excitement she was craving after all.


	4. Chapter 4

Fanning His Flames

 **celestia193's Author's Note:** And today, we have a helping of cute Aoda for you. :)

Chapter 4

The next day, Sasuke decides it was in his best interest to get some training done. Partially because he didn't want to grow soft in a time of peace, but also because the last Uchiha really didn't understand where he stood with a certain blonde.

So he does what any ninja in his position would have done. He found an empty spot in the desert close by the Sand Village and summoned a giant snake. "Aoda." His lips curve into a smile at the sight of the friendly serpent. "It's good to see you again."

"And you, Master Sasuke." Aoda waves his head back and forth, peering at Sasuke curiously. "It is nice to see you in such good health and spirits."

"Thank you, Aoda." His health was excellent, but the latter he wasn't so sure about. Still, the Summon didn't necessarily need to know that. "I thought that we would do some training. Just because peace reigns now, doesn't mean that will always be the case." Actually, Sasuke knew the odds of the peace lasting indefinitely were basically zero. It was more a matter of when disaster would strike than if.

Oh yes, Aoda could do that. He could help Master Sasuke learn and perfect his techniques. His tongue flicks through the air, tasting the new scents around Sasuke. One stuck out "You wish to train to please your female so that she will give you hatchlings to protect your peace?"

That had to be thousandth time that Sasuke had felt stunned since coming to the Sand Village. "Eventually, that would be the goal, but what made you jump to that conclusion?" He wasn't even sure that he and Temari would ever get to the 'Hatchling' stage, but the fact that Aoda had somehow picked up on it was troubling. The snake couldn't read minds, could he?

"You carry the scent of your female." Aoda flicks his tongue out again, getting another taste of the scent around Sasuke. "She is a fierce one, isn't she?"

"Aoda, I don't really have a 'female' in that respect." Sasuke raises an eyebrow. Well, not exactly anyway. "Well, yes, she is fierce, but it's complicated." Wait. Why was he discussing this?

Master Sasuke certainly made it sound complicated. "If she is not your female now, when will she be your female?" Maybe he wasn't the best judge, but the giant snake thought that such a thing wouldn't be an issue for his master. "Does she not find you pleasing?"

"…" Leave it to a snake to boil it down to the most basic terms. "It's not that. I'm sure that she does, but I'm nomadic and she lives in the Sand Village."

Aoda tilts his head. "Do you not like this village? It is very warm. Perfect for raising hatchlings."

Sasuke wasn't really sure what a village's temperature had to do with hatchlings exactly, but he pawns it off to a snake thing. "I like it so far." Other than adjusting to the unforgiving heat, he hadn't seen anything that he didn't like.

"Excellent, that is very good." Aoda liked the thought of slithering around in the desert sand. Being a cold-blooded creature was easy in a place this hot. That said, his master seemed unhappy. "Is there something about this place that displeases you?"

"Yes, it is." Sasuke sighs as he strokes Aoda's massive scales. "It's just that I don't think that I've earned the right to be happy yet." It was mostly dumb luck that had stopped him from becoming the next Madara. There was still so much damage that needed to be undone to repair is family's name and while his reputation was improving, becoming involved with him could prove dangerous.

Aoda hums contentedly. But humans were such strange creatures at times. "Do you have to earn a right? Or is it that you consider happiness a privilege?"

How could he possibly answer that? "I suppose it depends on who you ask." Aoda made it all sound so very simple. "You know what I've done and you know everything that happened. Do you really think that I could stay here without repercussions?"

The question made Aoda sad. He was young, and he did not understand what could make humans so cruel to one another sometimes. Like Manda was. "Then will you wander forever, Master Sasuke?" From what he understood of humans, they preferred having a home to go back to. Just like he could always go back to Ryuchi Cave. But his master had no home, and would not make himself one.

"Not forever, no." He couldn't do that, if Sasuke did then his Clan would die with him. "It's just a question of when…"

A long scaly tail wraps slowly around Sasuke's body, and Aoda perches his giant head at eye level with Sasuke. "…Your female will be sad when you leave."

Would she? Sasuke wasn't sure. "Maybe, but how did you know about Temari?" It could just be that the blonde was enjoying getting reactions out of him. He could hardly blame her if that was the case. It'd be quite impressive to seduce the last Uchiha and there was no malice in whatever game she might be playing.

"You smell faintly of rice wine and of female arousal. It does not smell as though you mated her, but there was courting. It smells as if you had wrapped your tails together." He wasn't sure exactly what humans would call it. Cuddling, perhaps? But only the kind done with a mate.

"You can...smell that?" That was disturbing. "Good to know. I'll think about it." There wasn't really a major reason why he COULDN'T stay in the Sand if he wanted to. Gaara didn't seem in a hurry to send him off and the village was about as sympathetic towards him as he was likely going to find. Then there was Temari...the only woman who had ever evoked such reactions from him.

"Very good, Master Sasuke." It would be much better to see his master happy, but at least he didn't smell so sad anymore. "Now, do you wish to train your skills at pleasing your female? From what I have observed, human females seem to enjoy flowers and sweet foods and ointments that make their scales soft and shiny."

He was getting love advice from a snake. "I'll keep that in mind, Aoda." What had his life come to?

"Very good, Master Sasuke." Aoda hisses happily, much more pleased by talk of females, and not of unhappy topics. "Does she have nice scales, Master Sasuke?"

Sasuke tilts his head, not exactly sure what scales meant in this context, but figures it meant skin. "Exceptional scales, very soft." He wasn't sure if that was a woman thing in general or a Temari trait though.

"Yes, very good. It is important that your female be healthy if she is to give you hatchlings." Aoda did love to look at pretty scales. "Does she look very much like you, Master Sasuke?"

"What do you mean by does she look like me?" This was getting awkward and who really know what Aoda was trying to hint at. "As far as hatchlings go, I imagine she'd have healthy ones." Assuming that was something she wanted.

The tip of Aoda's tail points to Sasuke's head. "I have noticed that humans vary in the coloration of their 'hair' and eyes. I have not met your female yet, so I do not know if she resembles you or not."

"Oh. No. She's got lighter hair and eyes." A lot lighter. "Though her scales are about two shades darker than mine."

"I see." Aoda nods, nearly bopping Sasuke on the head. "I wonder if the hatchlings will take after you or your female."

They hadn't even gone on one official date and Aoda was already talking about hatchlings. "In terms of looks, it's more likely they'd take after me. Dark hair and eyes are dominant traits." Itachi likely would have found great amusement if his children turned out to be blonde though and Sasuke was sure that his father would have been 'horrified.'

"Well, I'm sure they will be fine hatchlings either way." Aoda wraps a little more tightly around his master, more than happy to indulge in curling around the living furnace that his fiery summoner was. "Do you feel better now, Master Sasuke?"

"Better, but Aoda…do me a favor?" It was best to nip this in the bud before it spiraled out of control. "If you happen to meet Temari, it's probably best not to mention hatchlings at this early stage in the courtship process." If that was even what they were doing.

"Very well, Master Sasuke." Aoda begins humming again, a much happier, brighter tune. "I hope you and Miss Temari have many healthy hatchlings together."

Sasuke shakes his head and embraces the Summon. "Thanks." Aoda was a simple creature sometimes, but it was in an endearing way.

Aoda nuzzles back warmly. "You are very welcome, Master Sasuke."

* * *

Meanwhile Kakashi flips another page in his book as he sits in what he supposed qualified for the Kazekage's living room because there was a couch and a charming coffee table. It made for the perfect place to rest his feet.

It was also fun to pretend he hadn't noticed a certain feisty blonde watching him out of the corner of his eye. She was quite stealthy, but he wouldn't have survived this long as a ninja, if he didn't know when he was being watched.

He idly debates about whether he should greet her or allow her to approach him first. One thing was abundantly clear though, the Sand Villager was determined to interrogate him about something. That meant he was in for a rather entertaining conversation. His favorite kind.

On the other hand, she had noticed him noticing her. He was subtle about it, but Temari wasn't called a genius for nothing. Though apparently not genius enough to stay hidden from Kakashi's eye. So, she stops with the pretenses and steps out from the hall where she'd been keeping quiet and masking her chakra. "You knew."

"I did, but you're better than most." He smiles at her good naturedly as he turns a page. "If that helps."

It did, but only because it told her that she needed to work harder to go unnoticed. "So, do you know what I want?"

"I know that you want information." He tilts his head at her. "Though I doubt it's the kind of information that one can find in the Bingo Book." Kakashi had his suspicions of course, but he needed confirmation.

Good, so he wasn't just an erotica-loving idiot. "Based on your little drunken party the other night, I'm going to assume that you know about my interest in Sasuke, and his interest in me. And as his teacher, I'm also going to assume that you care about him, even if he was off the rails for a few years."

He chuckles at her description. "That's quite a polite way to put it, but you're right." The CopyCat Ninja nods at her as he searches desperately to find the right words. "I do care for him and I know in his own unique way, he returns the sentiment. We're far more alike than we're different and yes, I know what you're going to say." He winks at her. "Unfortunately, Sasuke hasn't grown to appreciate romantic literature as much as I have. On the bright side, he's far more punctual than I."

"Good to know." But she wanted to know a lot more than that. "…What's his favorite color? Food? Type of book to read?" She couldn't imagine someone as introverted as Sasuke not liking to read.

Hmm. Maybe, his most troubled student had finally found his match. Those were the kinds of questions you only asked when you were interested in someone.

"Blue." Kakashi smiles at her. "I think he generally prefers darker shades of it, but that could just be a fashion choice on his part. "His favorite food is tomatoes." It was a bit of an odd choice, but a healthy one he supposed. "As for his favorite books, he's a practical sort. Mostly history and books about different types of Jutsus and things of that nature. I don't actually know if he reads anything purely for the sake of entertainment..."

Temari rolls her eyes. "Not your type of entertainment, anyway." Though, of all the vices a ninja like Kakashi could have, she supposed that reading erotica was fairly harmless. "And his views on…intimacy?" She supposed there was no harm in being blunt about it. "Would you say he's the type to prefer long or short term relationships?"

"Well, with Sasuke it's a complicated case and anything I tell you is purely speculative on my part." He glances at her as he closes his book. "Do you still wish for me to answer your questions knowing that these are merely educated guesses?"

"I think I can take some educated guesses and gather information to confirm them on my own well enough." Temari crosses her arms stubbornly across her chest.

Kakashi pauses for a moment as he tries to surmise the most tactful way to assist her. "As far as I know, Sasuke has never been in any sort of romantic relationship before. Long-term or otherwise." He didn't want to embarrass his student, so he decides to clarify. "He was either too young, focused on revenge, fighting in the war, or trying to atone for his 'sins' to indulge in such things."

"Of course, Sasuke has always been if nothing else, goal driven." Obsessively so in Kakashi's opinion, but most ninjas were wired that way. "Above all else, he desires a family, so I assume at some point he will seek out a relationship. Sasuke is...well, hmm how do I put this? Frozen in some ways."

"Frozen?" Temari's eyebrows furrow. "Considering how…heated he can be, it's hard to picture him as frozen."

"I don't mean in the literal sense." He crosses his arms as if to shield himself from the unpleasant conversation that was sure to follow. "What it is…is that the Massacre traumatized Sasuke so deeply that to some degree his development was frozen."

Yes, Kakashi supposes that was the right way to explain such things. "His childhood essentially ended on that day, and he never really sought out bonds, especially romantic ones. So it's only natural that Sasuke would emulate the only romantic relationship that impacted him. That of his parents."

"Sasuke has difficulty trusting anyone." Kakashi frowns at the thought, but he knew it was true. "So I can't see him desiring anything less than a complete commitment and for him, that would be marriage. I can't see him seeking out a casual encounter and if anything, he'd probably view such an action as beneath him. So faithfulness wouldn't be an issue, but I'm certain you wanted some more intimate theories as to what he might find appealing?"

So…Sasuke was more likely to seek out a partner for life, then… Based on what Temari knew of his past, she could see why. In his position, she'd expect either solely casual flings who wouldn't care about who he was and about hurting him, or an eschewing of those in favor of a permanent, stable bond. "Well, I'm pretty sure I've already proven what he's interested in, but if you've got theories, I'll hear them."

"Well, it depends on whether you're asking about what he's likely consciously seeking out and what I think he'd subconsciously either desire or possibly benefit from." He rubs his chin thoughtfully. "Consciously, I doubt he'd consider a civilian for personal and practical purposes." Having children with someone who wasn't a ninja meant that his children would be less likely to produce the Sharingan. That was just genetics. "The woman would have to want a family and loyalty is important to Sasuke. Honesty as well, he's been manipulated in one form or another for most of his life. As for subconsciously, well I do have several theories...theories that I don't want him to know I have because he'd accuse me of meddling and try to Chidori me in places that I do not want Chidoried."

Most of that information, she could surmise based on how ninja relationships generally worked, the secrecy their jobs entailed, and the pride held in inherited abilities, especially with bloodline clans. Still, Temari's eyes narrow slightly. "And you think that the sister of the Kazekage wouldn't have access to classified information that no one can know?" She knew how to keep a secret.

"That's a good point." He chuckles. "Honestly, I'm not certain Sasuke has really considered anything behind the basics of what he'd like in a match. I do believe that he could benefit from having an older partner though. He lacks experience, but he's suffered so much that it has aged him in ways that can't be measured with a glance. As for his sexual preferences, I imagine that he'd likely be either extremely dominant and find being in control of such things as erotic and reassuring or shockingly submissive. If he trusted his partner, he might find it comforting to have someone else make decisions. There is of course always the possibility that he might alternate between those two extremes though." He pauses. "As for what he'd consider attractive, I'd bet my rank that he's a Breast Ninja."

At least things were starting to look better now. Temari could work with that if Sasuke needed easing into it. "I suppose if he's a Breast Ninja, it should be easy enough to find that out." He'd certainly seemed to appreciate all of her assets when she kissed his drunken ass. "Bossing him around should be fun." Especially if it lit a fire under that sexy ass of his.

"I'd be careful with it though. He's very proud." Kakashi chuckles as he tries to imagine Temari or anyone bossing him around. "You know, when I first met him he threw a fireball at me for reading my book during the exam. He didn't think I was taking him seriously, I suppose." Which was true, Kakashi hadn't. They were fresh out of the Academy and he was a seasoned Jonin.

Temari slowly smirks. "I think he'll find that it can be quite enjoyable to have someone bossing him around. Or challenging, at the very least. I…assume that he enjoys challenges? He seems to fight with your other student often enough to prove that."

"He has always wanted to prove himself." Of course, everyone did to some extent. With Sasuke though, well as always his student didn't do anything halfway. "So he might enjoy that. I do have a couple other minor suggestions. Again, this is all theoretical, but I believe his neck is sensitive. He has almost always favored high collars. That and I do believe that some bedroom talk and sexy lingerie would go a long way. Both are very hard to misinterpret."

The smirk grows a little wider and Temari barely resists the urge to laugh. "I see." She could certainly make use of such tactics. It wouldn't be difficult. "Thank you for your cooperation, Kakashi. I do appreciate it when the subject of my interrogation offer up their information freely." Usually she had to seduce it out of them. But if Kakashi wanted to play matchmaker with his student, Temari definitely wasn't going to be the one to stop him.

"You're a smart woman." He shrugs at her as he grabs his book. "I doubt I've told you anything that you wouldn't have found out on your own eventually. I just saved you some time really. Besides, I look at it this way...giving you such information only serves to further strengthen the ties between our villages."

Temari blinks, then raises an eyebrow in amusement. "Yes, I suppose it will. Provided that Sasuke chooses to settle down and stay a while." His stubbornness and insistence on trying to leave was the biggest obstacle for now. "I've been trying to convince him to stay." She sighs impatiently. "And he hasn't left yet." But was it for her, or just because he was still getting everything he needed together? "He needs a home, but he doesn't seem willing to make himself one."

"He feel guilty about everything, especially what happened with his brother." Kakashi sighs as he looks at her. "So he is finding new ways to punish himself. Quite honestly, it does help to have him travel and perform good deeds, but there's no reason he shouldn't settle down now if he wanted. It's not as if anyone is foolish enough to target him given his power level. So whatever excuses he gives are just that...excuses. Besides, he's got three kittens in the Sand Village to think about now." He winks at her again. "Two of the furry variety and one is a feisty sand cat who seems to be fond of bossing him around."

"Then I suppose I will simply have to train him not to make excuses." Temari shakes her head, more than a little amused by the kitten description. "He has two kittens." She strides towards Kakashi and plucks the book from his hand, flipping it open and perusing a few pages. "I'm not like your Leaf girls." She eyes him dangerously. "I am a tigress. Go ahead and pull my tail. I'll be more than happy to show you my claws."

"If I were say...five years younger, I'd be happy to." He laughs as he watches her with undisguised amusement. "Still, I think he needs you more than I do though the offer is tempting."

"Hm…" Temari watches Kakashi consideringly. "Yes…I think he does too." She wasn't sure if she was exactly what Sasuke needed, or if Sasuke was exactly what she needed. But damn it all if she wasn't going to at least try to find out. "You get off on meddling in your students' love lives, don't you?"

"I'm a Sensei." He laughs softly at her accusation. "It's in the job description, if you must know."

Of course it was, but Temari wouldn't give up without the last laugh. "I don't know which of you I pity more. Naruto and Sakura, for having to put up with you, or you, for having to try and work your tactics on oblivious Naruto while Sakura watches and tries to resist punching the both of you for acting like perverts."

"Ah well, it's not a real team until someone has thought about punching at least one other member of the team." He shakes his head in amusement. "I'd wish you luck with your pursuit of Sasuke, but I think he'll need it more than you. You really are a tigress."

"You have to be when you're the older sister of the Kazekage." Temari never would have gotten anywhere by being as meek as some of those kunoichi from the Leaf. A couple could talk a big game, but when it came down to the wire, she was the one who wouldn't flinch. "No one held my hand when I was growing up, and I can't afford it when Gaara needs me."

"I'm aware that it was far from easy for you three, but unfortunately that is the way of this world." Kakashi had also largely grown up without his parents. "Well at least, it used to be. Perhaps the next generation will be dealt a fairer hand."

"Let's hope so." Temari's lips curl once more into a sardonic smile. "After all, if Gaara's nightmare comes true and I pop out an Uchiha Army, it'll have to be."

"I take back what I said." Kakashi chuckles at the expression. "You're the one who will be in need of luck. I can't imagine the horrors, you'll have to endure when the Terrible Twos arrive."

"I handle all of Gaara's most sensitive intel." Temari huffs impatiently. "I can handle toddlers."

"You say that because you've never had to deal with an Uchiha toddler." He smirks.

Temari scoffs at the thought. "It's just a two-year-old, not an ANBU. How much trouble can a few toddlers be?"

"I'm glad you feel that way." He laughs and shakes his head. This poor woman didn't know what she was in for.


	5. Chapter 5

Fanning His Flames

 **Authors' Note:** Thanks for the reviews. We hope that you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 5

A few days later, Sasuke shakes his head as he follows two playful felines. They were running all over the place. More specifically, the kittens were heading into Temari's room.

Which would have been fine, had the cats not decided to get into everything. Which apparently included her dresser. For some reason unfathomable to him, she must have left some of the drawers open and the kittens saw a single thread hanging form some sort of garment.

So they did what kittens do. They attacked and knocked everything over. Which happened to include pulling out the drawers of her dresser and scattering her clothes everywhere. Particularly multiple pieces of lingerie.

"It just had to be her undergarment drawer." Sasuke shakes his head as he quickly tries to grab the scanty clothing and put it back. After all, he couldn't just leave everything laying there because then Temari would wonder what had happened.

One of the little kittens prances about with a silky bra hanging from its mouth. It jumps up onto the bed and waves its tail through the air playfully.

Sasuke looks at the ceiling as if to ask why. "Itachi, give it back." He reaches for the bra. Yes, he had named the black kitten after Itachi and the smoky gray one after Shisui. Which only made this situation even more awkward.

But Little Itachi merely jumps off the bed and races towards the window, fleeing towards freedom with its prize in his tiny mouth. He meows happily as he scrambles up the wall towards the glass-less opening in the carved sandstone.

"Itachi!" Sasuke sighs as he chases after him. He could SWEAR that the original Itachi was laughing at him in the afterlife now. How the hell had he gone from being one of the most feared criminal ninjas in the world to chasing after kittens with undergarments in their mouths?!

The kitten quickly turns about and leaps at Sasuke, landing with his claws digging into the cloth of Sasuke's shirt, and flinging the bra right into the fearsome ninja's face.

Sasuke groans as he pulls the silky garment away from his face. "Red...nice." Still though, he really needed to get Temari's clothes back in her dresser before she saw the CATastrophe that had taken over her room. It certainly didn't help matters that Shisui was now prowling about, jumping onto every item he could find and rolling around in them.

"Sasuke?" Temari raises an eyebrow as she strides in through the door of her room to find her…she'd give Sasuke a label later, but it was very odd to see him in her room…clutching one of her favorite bras in his hand.

"..." Great. Just great. Now, Temari probably thought he was as bad as Jiraiya. "Itachi and Shisui decided that your clothing made for wonderful toys and I was just...putting everything back." Would she actually believe him though?

"Of course you were." It wasn't that Temari didn't believe him. She knew very well how playful kittens could be. But somehow, she doubted that he was all too upset about finding her lingerie drawer. "Do you like the color? I have some blue tucked away somewhere if you'd like to see that better."

He was in trouble. "I'm sure you'd flatter any color." This was some kind of trick question. If he ignored the probing or tried to change the subject, Temari would think he wasn't interested. If he commented on it, well she'd think he was a pervert. "In general, I prefer blue, but I favor red as well."

"I see, that's good." She strides across the room and plucks the bra deftly from his hand, then presses a kiss to his lips. "Maybe if you're a good boy, or a very bad boy, you'll get to see what I look like in all my different colors."

"Which do you prefer?" He returns the kiss, pinning her to the closest wall. "Good or bad?" Sasuke had never very artistic or particularly fussed about colors before, but that was an offer that definitely had Sasuke more interested in the rainbow than he had ever been in his entire life.

Temari's eyes flash with excitement. "I like a challenge." She knocks his hands away and spins him around, pinning him to the wall instead. "Do you?"

He blinks. It wasn't that Sasuke was upset by the reversal of roles, just that he was surprised she'd actually done it. "Love them. I managed not to kill the Loser all these years, didn't I?" Then again, he wasn't. This was Temari. The woman apparently didn't know what the word caution meant unless it involved Gaara and even then, the last Uchiha wasn't entirely sure that the red head scared her anymore. He had when they were Genin sure, but not now.

"Yes, well you're not going to try and kill me, now are you?" Temari smirks and brushes her lips over his. She takes his hands and guides them down over her hips to hold her firmly against him. "I can think of much more fun things to do."

"Definitely not going to try to kill you." He nips her ear playfully. "But I will make you scream in other ways."

"Are you sure it won't be the other way around?" She glides a hand up his chest, rubbing and flicking a nipple through the fabric on her way up to grip his shoulder. She tilts her head to whisper seductively in his ear. "I know better than you how to make someone scream."

"I'm sure. Besides, I've always been a fast learner." He bites back a sound that Sasuke was sure would have been halfway between a gasp and a groan. Fuck. He hadn't known he was THAT sensitive there.

"Oh really?" She knew far more about the body and what could turn a target on than he did. And make no mistake, here in her room, he WAS a target. Her lips curve with amusement. "Do you think you can take me outside of battle?"

She was playing with fire. "I don't think I can, I KNOW I can." He slips out of her grasp easily enough and pulls the voluptuous blonde into his arms before laying her on the bed. "It's not always the more experienced ninja that wins the battle both in and out of the bedroom." Sure, Temari had more or less outright stated that she'd employed seduction tactics to complete a mission or two, but everyone started somewhere and he'd gotten more than enough eyefuls at the Sound to know what most women liked.

She laughs and flips him over, straddling his hips as she takes back her position of power. "That's true, but there's always something to be said for experience. I might not stand a chance against you on the battlefield, but I'm more than a match for you here." She sensually circles her hips on his lap, grinding down slowly and deliberately.

"You're quite possibly the bravest and most foolish woman that I've ever met." Sasuke wraps his arm around her neck as he pulls her down for a heated kiss. He instinctively bucks against her touch, letting her know that his body certainly didn't mind this position all that much. Actually, it was quite happy about all the wonderfully wicked friction she was creating with her hips.

"I would say more brave than foolish." Her hands brace against the bed on either side of his head as she sighs and presses into the kiss. "But you like it." His mouth could lie, if he had a mind to, but his body couldn't.

"The two aren't' mutually exclusive. You being foolish and my liking it. My brother always did say I was foolish." He glides his lips against hers as his tongue begins to plunder her mouth with his own. "Maybe we could be foolish together."

"Yes, we could." Temari was liking the sound of that more by the minute. She could think of many a way to be…foolish. "And I could teach you how."

"I think that I'd like that."Sasuke smirks at her. It was hard to focus on anything but the desires she was igniting in him. They had barely been more than a flicker but she had stoked them into fully fledged wildfires. Wildfires that were threatening to transform into Amaterasu.

 **Warning Lemon**

Temari smirks and pushes herself up off of Sasuke to sit upright in his lap, then reaches back behind her short purple dress to the red bow there and unties it, letting the silky fabric slip through her fingers and onto the covers of her bed. "Watch carefully when a woman undresses for you. Some of us like being watched." She opens the folds her her dress and shrugs them from her shoulders, leaving her in a simply mesh shit and dark shorts.

"So I see." That much was readily apparent. Sasuke doubted he could have torn his gaze away from her, even if he wanted to and he definitely didn't. The woman obviously knew how to make even the simple act of undressing full of grace and eroticism.

"Very good." Temari wouldn't deny that. And it felt empowering to have such a powerful man's gaze on her while he was completely at her mercy. "Now tell me, do you know what to do with those hands of yours?" She smirks as she pulls her mesh shirt over her head, leaving visible a soft, silky bra of a deep teal to match her eyes.

Sasuke had never known that a single piece of fabric could capture his attention so thoroughly. "I have a pretty good idea." The way it matched her eyes and emphasized her breasts in a subtly seductive way was glorious. "How's this?" He fumbles with the clasps and pulls it from her chest. He wasn't proud of it, but Sasuke stares for a moment. It was hard not to. Never before had the sight of a half naked person excited him this much before. It was like looking at a goddess.

"Not bad, but you lack a little…finesse." Temari reaches for his hands and places them on her hips, then slides them up along her waist to cup her breasts from below. "Your lover's body is something to be admired, love, worshiped." She rubs his hands against her breasts and moans lowly as she starts moving her hips again.

"You're right." Sasuke nods as he swallows hard and caresses her breasts. "You should definitely be worshiped." He marvels at the softness of her skin and the fullness of her breasts. Sasuke was beginning to understand why so many artists and sculptures slaved away at capturing the female form on their chosen canvases as he moves his hips in time with hers.

"Yes…just like that" Her eyes close and her lashes flutter against her cheeks as she rides his hips, teased by the hard bulge still growing underneath her. She liked being worshiped and she liked the power that came with it. Sasuke's touch was firm and warm and she loved it. Her own hands fall to the hem of Sasuke's shirt and she deftly slides her fingers underneath to let them slide across his pale skin.

Sasuke shivers almost as much from surprise as desire. "Thank you." He leans up and captures her lips in a heated kiss as his hands begin to roam more. Slowly and possessively, intent on exploring every inch of skin she'd let him. Starting with her breasts, particularly those rosy pink nipples. He couldn't resist tugging on them a bit and rolling them between his fingers. "For reminding me being touched can be a good thing." It didn't always have to equate to violence, but it could and did create a delicious contrast. Her softness against his ever increasing hardness.

Her smile softens slightly. "With the right person, there's a lot that will feel good." And she could introduce him to all of it, if he liked. She returns the searing kiss and slides up his shirt to circle her thumbs around the tiny pebbled peaks, all the while rocking back and forth just the way she knew he'd like it.

Sasuke knew he was no longer coherent as he groans something in reply, but words weren't needed anymore as he grinds back against her. His hands find the curve of her backside and pull off her shorts and stockings slowly but efficiently, gripping her hips and backside as he guides her towards a faster pace.

Temari presses a hand to Sasuke's chest and pushes him back down against the bed. Then her hand slips lower, followed by its twin, and her fingers dance along the waistband of his pants. They slide down the dark fabric as her hips shift back and release a rather impressive piece of equipment to the warm air. "Hm…" She eyes Sasuke with great interest. "Seems like you don't carry that sword around just to compensate for something, huh Uchiha?"

Sasuke rolls his eyes as he tries to stifle back a groan at her touch. "You seem to have confused me for Suigetsu and Kisame. I don't do overcompensation."

"So I see. That's good." Her fingers wrap deftly around the lightly throbbing shaft as she discards his pants and the last of her own silky lingerie. Her thumb works carefully and quickly to rub little circles just beneath the head of his cock.

"I want you." Sasuke captures her lips in another heated kiss, this one almost scolding in its possessiveness. All the while allowing his hands to explore the curve of her hips, backside, and breasts.

It was tempting to reverse their positions. Sasuke knew that he could have done so with ease, but he also didn't want her to stop. He groans into the kiss as he bucks into her hand. He definitely didn't want her to stop.

"And I want you." This was the most excitement that Temari had had since the war ended, and infinitely more pleasant. Cocky and playful, yet somewhat innocent and bashful. It was almost…cute. "I bet you've never had a woman do this for you before." She smirks and lowers her head, licking at pearls beading at the tip of his cock and wrapping her tongue around the head as she pulls it into her mouth.

"Fuck!" Sasuke hisses in ecstasy. "N-Never!" If her hand had felt good, this was well, Sasuke wasn't really sure how to describe it. He just knew that her mouth felt even better wrapped around his cock than her hand had and it was a miracle that he hadn't already already gone over the edge.

So expressive. Temari remembered Sasuke being stubbornly cold, but lately, he'd been surprising her with just how strong those emotions of his burned. She liked to see them burn.

Inch by inch, she sinks lower and lower, holding his hips down with a strength that commands him to behave. A bit salty and bitter, but it suited her and her desert home just fine. Her fingers trail up his thighs as she shifts back a little to settle against his shins. But her fingers move forward on their mission, cupping his balls and rolling them in her palm as two fingers sneak just behind them to press against his prostate from the outside. She'd found that some men didn't like this, but it was mostly those who entrenched in their ways and let their pride get involved. But for someone inexperienced…

"Temari!" Sasuke gasps as he feels Temari's mouth devour him in the most wonderful of ways possible and her do well, something else. He wasn't sure what she had just done exactly, but it had him seeing stars. "If you don't stop, I'm going to cum!"

Temari chuckles at Sasuke's consideration and releases him from her mouth with a pop. "Yes, so I see." Such a sweet boy when he wanted to be. She slows her ministrations and starts stroking him lightly at a snail's pace. "Does that mean you would rather me leave you hanging, then?"

Sasuke had been surrounded by the flames of Amaterasu before, but never had his body felt this hot. It was as if his body temperature had risen at least a thousand degrees since they began. "No. I always finish what I start and I'm sure that you're the same way." It was the kind of fire that didn't actually burn, but it was taking all his control not to reverse their positions and show her just how much he DIDN'T intend on leaving her 'hanging,' either. "After all, you wouldn't want me to think the Sand Village is full of women who are more bark than bite when it comes to seduction."

Still, he didn't want to scare her or for this to be over too quickly. Engaging in playful banter served two purposes. The first gave him a chance to focus on something else besides own desire and the second to ensure her pride would make it nearly impossible for Temari to stop. So he wills himself to stay calm as he pulls her forward and slides his hand between her thighs and cups her womanhood. Noting with smug satisfaction that she was already soaked.

Temari's cheeks flush a light pink with heat and arousal, and she squeezes him firmly before stroking with increasing speed. "No, I certainly wouldn't." She reapplies the pressure of her other hand, pressing firmly into the place that nearly had him orgasming. She presses a kiss to his lips and rocks back and forth against his own fingers, her blood racing with fire.

He returns the kiss, groaning in pleasure as she resumes her administrations. It was all he could do to remember to caress her there, brushing his thumb against her clit as he slides a single digit inside her, Half wondering if she would tell him to stop, but that was the last coherent thought on his mind before she touched whatever that spot was again. This time, there was no warning. There was simply euphoria.

Temari half moans and half chuckles into Sasuke's mouth as she removes her hands from his skin, knowing that it would be too sensitive to touch for a few minutes. She trails kisses down his throat and sucks dark bruises into Sasuke's ivory pale skin. "You learn quickly." Her hips move back and forth, increasing the friction of her hand against the pearl nestled deep in soaked folds.

His pulse was pounding so wildly, that it felt almost like they were actually on the battlefield. Only this time there wasn't pain mixed with the adrenaline. Only pleasure.

"You say that as if you expected me to be as clueless as Naruto." It was nothing short of a miracle, that he could string together a coherent sentence at this point. "I can't entirely blame you though." He flips quickly reverses their position. "The Leaf has as many dimwits as geniuses." His mind was half clouded with pleasure and half driven by the desire to return the favor.

In the end, the latter impulse gains the upper hand. So the last Uchiha licks her ear before moving down slowly. Leaving a trail of kisses along her jaw and slender curve of her neck before taking a nipple into his mouth and sucking on it with his teeth. His hands all the while rubbing her. Touching gave him something to focus on besides the aching need that was threatening to drive him straight into insanity.

Her body already humming with pleasure, Temari reaches down to stroke Sasuke's hand. She tugs on his fingers and repositions them, placing his thumb at a steeper angle, one that made it easy to slide a second of his calloused fingers much deeper inside of her. "Like this." She rubs them in a circular motion, increasing the stimulation as rough moans fall from her lips.

His slight embarrassment at 'needing' additional instruction is quickly cast aside in favor of listening to her moans. Besides, if there was one thing that Sasuke had always excelled in, it was copying the movements of others. The fact his Sharingan was already activated only made this easier as he mimics her movements exactly. "You're beautiful." It was the fucking truth. It would have been impossible not to admire the seductive picture she was painting or the sensual symphony her moans were producing.

Temari lets out a muffled laugh as Sasuke's mumbled words tickle her breast. She runs her fingers through his hair and arches her back to press more firmly against him. "Yes…Sasuke."

Deciding he likes it when she says his name that way, Sasuke moves his fingers faster. He wanted to give her the same high that she gave him.

"Mm…ah!" Temari gasps as those fast-learning fingers plunge deeply enough to brush against her pleasure spot. So she rolls her hips against Sasuke's slick fingers and tightens her fingers in his hair.

He moves away from her breast as his fingers move faster and faster. "I told you that I was a fast learner." It was hard not to be smug as he watches her desperately try to get closer to him. Sasuke takes that as a cue and adds a third digit.

"Clearly." A light of stubborn determination flares in her eyes and she reaches up and around his neck and shoulders to pull him flush against her. Her lips find his in their mission to kiss him as senseless as she felt.

Whatever he was planning to say got swallowed up in the kiss. It was just as well though. Sasuke revels in the feeling of her skin against his own as he teases Temari more. Feeling proud of the reactions he was evoking in her. She was as slick with desire as he was hot with it.

"Sasuke!" Driven mad with desire, Temari very nearly screams into the kiss as that familiar wave of pleasure turns into a lightning bolt that crashes through her. Never before had it felt quite that intense. Then again, very rarely did her partner really try. Sasuke was certainly special. Her muscles clench and undulate, her body rolling in waves beneath his.

"So that's what you look like when you cum." He swallows her scream with a kiss before sliding his fingers out of her. Reluctantly, he breaks the kiss. "I like it." He smirks at her.

"Good." And SHE would like it even more if they hurried this up a little. She'd sometimes found that immediately after her first orgasm, she needed a second, fast, or she would explode. Impatient for the next wave, Temari flips Sasuke onto his back and straddles his hips, already lining them up at the angle she liked best, with her breasts hanging inches above Sasuke's face. "I don't have to teach you this part, do I?"

No. There was something to be said for human instinct and biology, Sasuke muses as he grips her by the hips and and buries himself inside her in one swift thrust. "No. Tell me when I can move." Because he really wanted to fucking move. The way she fit so perfectly around him was nothing short of amazing.

Though it requires taking a breath to steady herself as Sasuke's length fills her up even more than she'd expected, Temari rolls her eyes, then her hips. "If I don't cry, you can move." She was NOT a delicate kunoichi. Temari places her hands on his shoulders and lifts her hips, then comes down firmly on Sasuke's lap, setting the pace herself.

"Good to know." Sasuke's breath was coming out in ragged pants as he thrusts into the goddess above him. He marvels at the sensations that being inside her was evoking in him. "You feel so good!" He surrenders to his instincts as he thrusts inside her faster and faster.

"Yes!" Temari rides the movement of his hips in waves, her thighs gripping his sides as tightly as her hands press his against her hips. Then she leans down and brushes her breasts against his chest, skimming her lips across his skin, and panting harshly until she finds his lips and captures them in a molten kiss.

He returns the kiss as moves in time with her. All the while gripping her hips tightly for more leverage. "Temari." He wasn't sure if she heard his words between their heated kisses, but perhaps it didn't matter. the body could communicate in a way that mere words would never match in moments like this. When he stumbles head first into pure bliss, spilling his seed into her.

Their kisses drown out her moans of ecstasy and she trembles with pleasure as her hips begin to slow. Just one round and she felt as though she were flying high above the clouds, higher than her fan could ever reach. "Sasuke…" Her eyes flutter open as she gazes down into fathomless onyx eyes.

Yes. She wanted this man to stay.


	6. Chapter 6

Fanning His Flames

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. We hope that you enjoy this chapter.

 **Request Response:** We had a guest reviewer who requested a French Revolution style female Sasuke x Shisui story. The request was quite interesting. I'm hoping that the reviewer will see our response here. At the moment, my collab partner, celestia193, and I are considering your request. We're wondering if you would accept the same basic plot, but based on a fictional country and how flexible you are on the pairing? I'm not promising that we will definitely do the request or when we'd post it, if we do. We're definitely considering it though. Please respond if you see this. We will also post a similar message on chapter seven.

Chapter 6

The next morning, Sasuke couldn't help, but feel well warm and ridiculously comfortable. He'd never woken up this relaxed before. Something that set off alarm bells immediately. Comfortable ninjas tended to end up dead ninjas.

His eyes shoot open and he blinks when he notices why he was so comfortable. He was laying next to Temari and the memories of the night before came back like a tsunami of eroticism.

"She's still asleep." He watches as her chest rises and falls underneath the blanket.

Never before had he felt more...uncertain. Should he ask what she wanted them to be now that they had become lovers or would that ruin the moment? That and he bites his lower lip as he realizes something rather important. As far as he could remember, they hadn't used any protection last night.

It was one thing for Temari to enjoy teasing him and even for them to be intimate, but that didn't necessarily mean she was ready to have his child. Fuck. He was worse than Suigetsu. At least that idiot would have remembered to use protection before falling into bed with someone. Where he found lovers who weren't frightened of his teeth, Sasuke didn't know. Sasuke didn't want to know either, but that was besides the point.

Temari could potentially be pregnant and he didn't have any real idea what she wanted from him. Was it merely bragging rights to say she bedded the last Uchiha and about a night of enjoyment or something more serious? Why was this even an issue?! He should have asked those sorts of questions before giving her what little remained of his innocence.

The blonde turns over onto her side, facing Sasuke. And slowly, her eyes open a crack, her brow furrowing in annoyance. She'd been sleeping so nicely until her lover had decided to have this silent freak out session of his. "Stop that." She reaches out and twirls her fingers into the messy hair at the back of his head, then pulls him down to cushion his head between her breasts. "It's too early to be thinking so damn loud."

"Didn't realize you were able to use mind-reading jutsu." Sasuke's voice comes out as little more than a muffle as his head is placed in an even more comfortable spot. Well, maybe it wouldn't hurt to enjoy the afterglow of their coupling for a few minutes...

"Don't have to." She closes her eyes again and nuzzles his hair. "For someone who doesn't like communicating with people, you sure show your emotions on your face."

"I think we communicated just fine last night and I thought you were asleep." He sighs in contentment at the attention. "So I didn't think I had to put my ANBU Face on."

"Yes, we certainly did." Temari snorts softly. "You don't need an ANBU face unless you're actually one of the Black Ops." She runs her fingers slowly through the dark locks. "Is that something you want to do?"

He shakes his head as he looks up at her. "No and even if I did, they'd know who I was as soon as I started fighting. To be in the ANBU means your identity is supposed to be a secret. It was more an expression than any sort of aspiration." He wanted to ask what sort of aspirations she had, particularly when it came to them, but Sasuke holds himself back. Temari had told him to stop thinking so 'loud.' So he might as well enjoy his current position for as long as he could.

Temari smirks lightly. "Oh, I don't know. If anything, the fact that you hold so much power means that you could hold back all of your signature abilities and still get the mission done. If you wanted to, anyway." If he'd rather take it easy and just stay in this semi-retired state, that was fine too.

"My chakra signature is too unique. I'd have to rely on Taijutsu and alter my voice." He shakes his head at the thought. "It wouldn't be practical and I've had enough of staying in the shadows. Unless Naruto or possibly Gaara asked me to, I wouldn't pursue a career with the ANBU."

"Then what would you do, given the choice?" Temari found it rather curious that Sasuke would shy away from a profession that his own signature attack was originally designed for. "Keep traveling?"

"Given the choice, I'd rather stay with you." He probably shouldn't have said that.

She pauses, her fingers pressing gently against his scalp. "You would?" She'd been worried for a while that he would just go and wander off again.

"Yes, but I don't know if that's what you want." He looks up at her.

Temari's cheeks flush a light pink and a mischievous light dances in her gaze. "Well, I can't say it wouldn't be entertaining to have you around. After all, my brothers do need someone to tease."

He kisses her and tugs on her lower lip in retaliation. "That's not exactly what I had in mind." She was teasing him.

She laughs and rolls him over, laying out flat against the length of his body. "Oh? And what exactly did you have in mind, then?"

"You're going to actually make me say this?" He groans as she reverses their position.

"Of course I am." She smirks widely, completely awake now as she straddles his hips. "It's more fun that way."

"And people accuse me of being the evil one?" Sasuke shakes his head as he tries in vain to focus. "I want to be with you. Not just for one night..."

Temari's smirk softens at the words, before perking right back up again. "So, I guess this means you'll be keeping Shisui and Itachi, then? I think they'll like that. They seem very attached to you."

"Yes, I imagine they would." Sasuke smiles. That was probably as close to a yes as she was going to give him at the moment.

"Good." Then it meant that she wouldn't have to try again to convince him to stay. "…Is this why you were thinking so loud when I woke up?"

He hesitates. Things were going well. "A large pat of it, yes." Sasuke didn't want to ruin the moment by pointing out the obvious. They'd been reckless.

She sighs and leans down, fitting her her body neatly against his and resting her arms on his chest, her head on her hands. "And the other part of it?" She was sure as hell awake now, so there was no point in telling him to clam up. "What's going on?"

"It might be nothing." The odds were low, but still it wasn't impossible. "But we forgot to take precautions last night..."

Temari blinks, then erupts in laughter. "That's all?" Honestly, Sasuke was so innocent sometimes that it was almost…no, definitely cute. "It's fine, Sasuke. I'm not going to be popping out an Uchiha Army anytime soon."

Sasuke frowns at her reaction. "Look, I know that it's relatively unlikely, but there is still a chance." Why the hell was she LAUGHING at the possibility of being pregnant?

"No, there isn't." Temari points to a tiny patch of skin on her left shoulder. "Most of the active upper ranking kunoichi in the village take routine injections every three months for that. The only ones who don't are genin, and ones with partners who are actively trying for children." It was a precaution, especially for those who undertook…special intelligence missions. "My last injection was a month ago. Don't the female ninja in your village do that?"

"Oh." Well now, he couldn't help but feel like an idiot. "I don't know. I left when I was a Genin." That and he had been a boy. Obviously, becoming pregnant hadn't been and never would be an issue for him. "Maybe they do. Are the injections by choice?"

"Yes, but by the time we're going on missions where we could bring back an unfortunate surprise, we understand the value of the injections, and no one protests much unless they're afraid of needles." And thus far, it had worked wonders to protect their kunoichi from being forced off duty by unexpected or unwanted pregnancy. Temari saw the benefit, even if her time doing such missions was at an end. "Some keep taking them even when they leave active duty. It's a convenience."

"Right. Good to know." He really needed to change the direction of this conversation. "You hungry?" Food seemed like a good way to do that. From Kakashi's trashy romance novels, Sasuke had learned it was supposed to be romantic to make someone breakfast after spending the night together.

"Mmm…maybe a little." Temari definitely had an appetite for something. "And those kittens of yours could do with some feeding too, if they haven't already found their own breakfast." Or if her brothers hadn't already fed them. Gaara did have something of a soft spot for anything with a tail.

"I'll go get us something and check on them." He presses a chaste kiss to her lips before hopping out of bed and throwing on some clothes, trying to ignore the emotional whiplash of the morning. From comfort, to anxiety, to being laughed at, Temari's explanations, and the blonde agreeing at least implicitly that they were well, something more than they had the day before yesterday. "I'll be back soon."

"Alright." Temari laughs at the thought of being waited on by the fearsome and prideful Sasuke Uchiha. "I'll keep the bed warm." And maybe cook up a welcome while she was at it.

He nods at her. "Alright." Thoughts of a warm bed were definitely of the more pleasant variety. One that they could share for approximately two months before parenthood was a possibility. "It shouldn't take long unless Kankuro has tried to cook again." A thought that should have made him feel relieved, but mostly just irritated him and made him feel uncertain. She laughed because she couldn't get pregnant at the moment, but what would have her reaction been if that wasn't the case?

Sasuke shakes his head trying to shove those thoughts to the side as he heads to the kitchen. He had food, kittens, and a beautiful woman waiting for him. Even Itachi would have told him that brooding was foolish at the moment and Sasuke wasn't even sure his brother had ever had a sex drive.

"Uchiha." Aqua eyes fall on the Last Uchiha the moment he walks into the kitchen. Spiky blood red hair frames an equally scarlet tattoo. "…Your kittens have been fed."

"Thanks, Gaara." Sasuke nods at him. Hoping like hell the red head was like Naruto and oblivious to what his current appearance meant.

The aqua eyes narrow slightly. "Will Temari be coming out for breakfast?"

Damn. Gaara knew. "No, she's still in bed." He wanted to say she was sleeping, but that would be a lie and those pupiless eyes were more intimidating than Sasuke wanted to admit. This must be the infamous Brother Jutsu that he had heard about. A Jutsu that was second only to the Father Jutsu in its power.

"I see." Gaara's gaze sweeps over Sasuke, not missing a single piece of his rather disheveled appearance. "Do I need to explain to you precisely what I will do to you, should you be improper with her?"

"No, I think we understand each other." He bites back a retort that he had already been VERY improper with her and that Temari had very much enjoyed it. He didn't want his 'kunai' Sand Coffined.

"Good." Gaara moves away from the fridge and strides towards the living room. "My sister enjoys her pancakes, toast, bacon, and…sausages." Gaara elects not to tell the Uchiha precisely what sort of creature those sausages happened to be made from. "There is coconut milk in the fridge. If you would prefer a different sort of breakfast, there is rice in the bottom cupboard, along with meat and vegetables for soup on the top and bottom shelves of the fridge."

Sasuke nods at that as he starts making breakfast. "Thanks." Well, that was awkward, but it could have been worse. In Gaaraese, that was as close to a 'blessing' as he was going to get.

Two small balls of dark fur bolt into the kitchen, mewing cutely as they dart in between Sasuke's legs. Little Shisui rubs his tiny head against Sasuke's ankle, while the miniature, fluffy Itachi paws at Sasuke's leg, trying to climb up his Papa's pants.

"Of course, you come when you smell the bacon and sausage." Sasuke chuckles as he pets them. "It'll be done soon. I'll give you a little bit of it."

The two little furballs purr contentedly, licking at their Papa's fingers when he pets their furry heads. Identical pairs of dark eyes watch him as the meat sizzles in the pan.

He shakes his head after the food is done and cuts up a bit of bacon and sausage for them. "Here. You're little beggars. You know that, right?" It was impossible to resist them though and they knew that.

They pounce upon the offering with delight, tearing into the little pieces of meat. Their dark coats shone with the love and care they'd received over the past couple of weeks, and they were growing healthily plump from the new abundance of food.

He smiles. They were going to be ridiculously spoiled. Definitely not ninja cats, but it was heartwarming me to see them thrive. Like him, they had been dealt a bad hand at the beginning of their lives, but things were getting better for them.

* * *

Temari's eyes widen with amusement as two kittens prance inside her bedroom, followed by a lover who came bearing pancakes and sausage, and bacon on top. Her favorite, though more of it than she ever made for herself. She smooths out the bedspread to make a place to set down the food. "It's a good thing I'm a shinobi, or I might be worried about putting on a few pounds."

"Temari, I don't care how much you weigh and besides, we're splitting this meal between two people and two kittens. Who will likely eat more of it than we do." He laughs as he gets on the bed with her.

"Ah, yes…the first two in a new dynasty of Uchiha, aren't they?" Temari laughs as the two kittens jump up onto the bed and curl up on Sasuke's pillow. "We'd better make sure that they eat well or they might start raiding the cupboards."

"They'd make sorry excuses for ninja cats, but they're good hunters in their own way." Sasuke smiles as he watches them, but then pauses. "You might be right about the cupboard thing though." How those tiny bellies could hold that much food was a mystery to him.

"Of course I'm right." Temari reaches for a fork and spears one of the sausages, then brings it to her mouth. "Besides, they're only kittens now. They might make for good security in a few years."

"Maybe, but I think after being strays, they've earned the right to be spoiled house cats." Sasuke smiles as he eats with her.

"Yes, I'm sure they have." She takes a bite of her sausage and reaches out to Shisui to scratch the kitten gently behind his ears. Then she glances at Sasuke knowingly. "A stray should always look for a good home where they can be spoiled rotten."

"Are we still talking about the cats?" Sasuke smirks.

Temari merely smiles and sucks on the first sausage, before biting into it again and finishing the link. "You tell me." She next reaches out to chop up a piece of pancake with her fork and dip it in jam, before downing the sweet mouthful. "Is there another stray I should be concerned about?"

"I'm not entirely sure." He watches her eat breakfast. How she made such a simple act look sexy was beyond him. "What do you think?" Maybe it was a Sand Villager thing.

"I think that…some strays have a choice. And that they don't have to stay away if they don't want to." She takes another piece and hums softly. "There are some who like being on their own, but even a stray can't stay that way forever, or they'll just fade away, forgotten and alone. Those kittens took up a home when you offered it to them. I think a stray just needs the right offer."

"Maybe." Sasuke wraps his arms around her. "You Sand Villagers seem to know a lot about cats." Sasuke could almost hear Itachi laughing at him in the afterlife due to all the feline comparisons, but whatever. He couldn't argue with the parallels. After all, there had to be a reason why his clan had raised ninja cats.

"Maybe." But Temari was touted as a genius, after all. She leans into Sasuke's embrace, her eyes still carefully fixed on her food. "So, will I be keeping two strays, or three?"

"Three if you think you can handle that many." He rests his head on top of hers.

"I know I can handle that many." And it warmed Temari's heart to hear. "Do you have any idea what you want to do now?"

"Have the kittens terrorize Kankuro while we spend the rest of the day in bed?" Sasuke looks at her hopefully.

"That could be arranged." Temari spears another Sausage and takes a bite, then offers a bit to Sasuke. "But I think you know what I meant."

He quickly devours the offering before answering. "Nothing particularly concrete. I'm sure that Gaara can find me something useful to do. I could always work in the Sand's internal Intelligence Unit." He pauses. "In interrogation. All I would have to do is flash my Rinnegan and they'd tell me what I want to know."

"True…that would be very useful." They've been trying to clean up the village as of late, and since the wars were over and there weren't any enemy spies to deal with, all of their intelligence and investigative efforts were turned inward. "We've been taking out the trash here in the mansion. Someone who could sniff out the dangerous elements would be an asset in Gaara's entourage." Of course, they couldn't count foreign agents out entirely. The great nations might be at peace, but this last war proved that a small nation, or even just a small group could stir up trouble if they wanted to.

"I sense you found that an acceptable answer, but had something else in mind?" He glances at her curiously.

She shrugs and reaches for some more pancake. "I thought that maybe you could be put on the diplomatic team with me, since you originally come from the Leaf. But then I remembered what happens when you and your best friend get within a hundred feet of each other." A fistfight. Or worse, ninjutsu being hurled around. And of course there was the potential for a world ending battle between them. "And frankly it might bore you. All I seem to do is set up trade agreements and help organize the Chunin Exams."

"If I'm with you, I wouldn't be bored." He smirks at her. "At least not between meetings."

Temari laughs and shakes her head. "I suppose that's true. But you'll have to promise to behave yourself and not try to pretend to be some evil wannabe dictator, alright?" She scoffs at the notion. "Though why you ever wanted to rule the world is beyond me. Gaara has a hard enough time ruling a village. I can't imagine him trying to run the whole world. And he actually has the skill set for it."

"I just have a low tolerance for stupid people." Sasuke nods at her. "So it seemed easier to ensure they couldn't cause as much damage. I want to make sure no one else had to suffer like Itachi."

"I guess that's fair. But still, the whole world?" Temari shivers at the thought. "I didn't think you were THAT much of a masochist, but I've been wrong before. Twice."

"Considering what the world was like before the war, I doubt I could have made it worse." Sasuke shrugs and shakes his head. "It was more out of my desire to prevent other people from sharing similar fates to Itachi than any real love of leading. I don't mind other people leading like Gaara. It's just most leaders aren't competent or worse, they're like Danzo."

"Yes, I suppose that's true." Temari sighs and turns over to press a kiss to Sasuke's lips. "But it wouldn't have made you happy." That kind of job could never make anyone happy. "I think you're a lot happier now."

"Maybe not, but it would have prevented some other people from being miserable." He kisses her and smiles. "You're right though. It's hard not to be...happy when one has a beautiful blonde for their lover."

Temari couldn't save the whole world from misery, that was Naruto's job, but she could at least save Sasuke from it. "Now, about your little freak-out session this morning." She eyes him with a trace of amusement. "I know that until last night, you were a virgin, but try not to turn every night we sleep together into a pregnancy scare, alright? I know my body better than you do. I've lived with it for twenty-two years."

"Temari, I was an innocent." He rolls his eyes, debating about leaving the comfort of the bed for the sake of his pride. "I'm not Naruto. I didn't know you were already taking precautions. Now, that I do, I know you won't be having an Uchiha Army, as you refer to our hypothetical children, in the immediate future."

She, however, wasn't going to give him a choice as she lay across his lap. "Not in the immediate future. Though I made it very clear to my little brother that whether or not, as well as when, I decide to pop out an Uchiha Army will be entirely up to me. Gaara can glare all he wants, but unless he wants his piles of paperwork to triple, he'll behave himself."

"I figured as much." Sasuke shakes his head as he looks down at the gorgeous woman in his arms. "Can we...please try to keep your brother out of discussions about our love life?" He pauses for a moment and adds as an afterthought. "Both of them."

"Alright, but you'll have to fight to keep them and their noses out of it." Temari knew that her brothers wouldn't confront her too directly, not again. But Sasuke would be fair game to them until he got them to cut it out. And she wasn't always going to be there to save him. "How many do you want, anyway?"

For some reason, Sasuke was pretty sure this situation was eerily similar to avoiding stepping on Deidara's mines. One wrong move and he was probably going to regret it.

"I thought that was something you'd want to talk about later." Stupid injections. "But how many did you think constituted an army?" Flipping the question around seemed like the smartest thing to do. Sasuke mentally pats himself on the back for thinking as strategically as Itachi.

"Well…let's see." Temari closes her eyes, going over the calculations in her head. "Based on my age now, and an appropriate age for me to stop doing most of my brother's diplomatic traveling for him, and factoring in enough recovery time to space them out enough…I think I could manage seven or eight."

Sasuke didn't know what surprised him more, the fact she was willing to go that high or that she'd actually crunched the numbers. "Yes, I'd say that sounds more than fair and definitely like the beginning of a fine army." He kisses her. "You sure you wouldn't mind having that many?" Temari had always struck him as more of a career ninja than a matriarch. He had been willing to go as low as three potentially in light of that, but seven or eight would be well, much better.

Temari shrugs. "If you mean the labor, it won't be fun. But I've been through a war, I think I can handle babies. And as long as you don't mind staying home and watching them when Gaara inevitably sends me on surprise diplomatic trips after the next three or four solid years of them. In fact, this is the longest I've spent at home in eight months."

"I wouldn't be so sure about the first part. From what I've heard most women would rather face Madara than go through labor." He smiles at her only half teasing. "That wouldn't bother you to be away from them that often? If you decide to stay with me that long, we could wait until you're done with the diplomatic missions if you prefer." He runs his fingers through hair.

She smiles wryly, but doesn't protest the gentle touches. "You say that as though you expect Gaara to never need my help in handling other villages." He may be a pain in the ass at times, but he was still her little brother. And that meant she'd always be looking out for him. "But it's better to wait until the most intense part is over. I don't expect the ones that come later to keep me away for more than a couple of weeks every four or five months. After most of the diplomacy is settled in the next few years, I'll most likely be handling village affairs or the intelligence division."

Annoying, but less so than an active combat ninja would have to deal with most of the time. Besides, they had just gotten together. The fact she was even willing to entertain the notion of having a family with him was well startling and more than he really deserved.

"So would you prefer to wait a few years until the missions settle down somewhat?" He eyes her not sure what to really make of the conversation. "Assuming we get to that point?" It was a far more painful possibility than it should have been realistically, but Sasuke knew there was always a chance Temari could change her mind. Becoming involved with him in any way wasn't something someone should do lightly. His reputation was too well know and while there weren't many physical scars on his body, there were ones that were more than skin deep.

"Yes, after all, I'm still at the height of my career." Temari knew that the old life expectancy for ninja was…optimistically, thirty. So, even alive, she didn't expect her more active ninja career to drag on for too much longer, especially if she did ever settle down and have a family. "I doubt that Gaara will ever have me really retire, but it might be nice having a family that doesn't sow terror everywhere they go, or start feuds that last for a decade." Gods knew that her own family was hardly a great example of a healthy, functioning unit.

He sighs in understanding as he caresses her cheek. "It's funny how fate travels in circles." She was a career ninja and Sasuke doubted she REALLY wanted to miss half of her children's early childhood. So waiting made sense. "I used to spend all my time waiting for Itachi to return from missions and it seems that's likely going to be the case with you for awhile."

"Maybe, but at least you know that I'll come back." After all, there was no war on now, and little chance of her dying in any sort of combat. Plus, diplomatic missions weren't all that high risk. "If anything, you should be worried that I'll die of boredom."

"I know you'll come back." He smiles at her teasingly. "You're far too stubborn to die. I'd ask why you're doing this sort of work, if it's truly that dull, but...you already said you do it for Gaara's sake." She was helping her brother. Sasuke wasn't cruel enough to protest that. A few years in the grand scheme of things wasn't anything...he might have wandered that long, if he hadn't bumped into her.

"So, I guess the question now is whether you want to stay here, or come with me on my trips." Temari leans back against Sasuke's chest, perfectly relaxed. "I mean, I guess you could wander around while I'm gone, but then I might just have to track you down."

Sasuke glances down at her. It was a bit surprising that she was offering such a thing and repeatedly at that. "You don't think my presence would hamper such efforts?" It could easily be interpreted as an implicit threat. Sasuke wouldn't be surprised if some people outright refused to do negotiations with him nearby. Though he could always stay in a hotel room or something, he supposed...

Temari smirks at the thought. "Well, considering that half of my trips are just to the Leaf to see the Hokage and his advisors, I doubt that anyone in the room would be bothered by you. I also make some trips to the Mist. Another of Gaara's diplomats makes visits to the Tsuchikage and Raikage, though."

"Oh well that's probably not an issue then." He pauses. Not sure if he should say anything. "At least not from my perspective. I doubt you'll want me to come with you to the Mist though..."

Oh, Temari knew full well what had happened the last time Sasuke had come face to face with the Mizukage. "You could always stay in our hotel room and keep the bed warm if you're worried about her hitting on you."

He tilts his head as if considering that. "I could. I wasn't really sure how much of an issue jealousy was for you though." Sasuke didn't want her to get the wrong idea. "It's not like I'm a blushing Hyuga. I can ignore such things easily, but you strike me as the jealous type and attacking the Mizukage would be bad for diplomacy."

Temari laughs at the thought of attacking the Mizukage. "Oh, I'll be fine. I know how to play nice with others. This isn't like when I was fifteen and taking the Chunin Exams with all of you kids. And if she doesn't get whatever hints you send her, I have non-violent ways of getting her to back off my man."

"Your man?" Sasuke couldn't help, but smirk at that reaction. "Someone's a little possessive."

She turns him over onto his back and grins. "Yes, I certainly am."

He smiles and kisses her. "Well, I certainly can't argue with the view."

"Good, because I think you'll be seeing it for a while." Temari leans down and fuses their lips together. She'd talk to Gaara about Sasuke later.


	7. Chapter 7

Fanning His Flames

 **Authors' Note:** Thanks for the reviews. We hope you enjoy this chapter.

 **Request Response:** We had a guest reviewer who requested a French Revolution style female Sasuke x Shisui story. The request was quite interesting. I'm hoping that the reviewer will see our response here. At the moment, my collab partner, celestia193, and I decided to granted the request in a somewhat modified form. The main difference is this story will take place in a fictional world. For those who are interested, the new story is called **Secrets of the Heart.**

Chapter 7

It was nearly nightfall, three weeks after making the request to Gaara that Sasuke be put on Temari's diplomatic team for 'security purposes', and Temari had noticed something a little odd when they stopped to make camp in the Land of Rivers on their first night away from the Sand. "…Sasuke, have you noticed anything odd since we left the village?" Because she definitely had, and she would rather not think that she was going crazy.

"Yes, I think so." Sasuke shakes his head as he gingerly sets his traveling pack down and opens it. "Looks like we've got a couple stowaways."

Temari saunters over to Sasuke's pack, which had been making odd movements periodically during their trip. She'd thought it was merely a mirage cause by the desert heat, but it would seem that wasn't quite right. "You've got to be kidding…" She couldn't decide whether to applaud their boldness, or smack her forehead. "How did you not notice that they were in there when we left the village?"

Because from inside the pack, two little furry faces poked out with happy, sparkling little eyes. They had two purring stowaways.

"I was distracted..." By the sight of Temari walking in front of him. He wouldn't actually say that though. "They seem alright and quite pleased with themselves though."

She couldn't deny that much. In fact, she would almost say that they looked rather smug. "…You've been teaching them facial expressions, haven't you? They look like they're smirking."

"Temari, I'm not teaching kittens human facial expressions." He rubs the back of his head sheepishly. "You're either imagining it or they're mimicking."

"Oh, I'm pretty sure I'm not imagining it." She carefully holds out her hands and coaxes Itachi into her arms. "See?" She holds up the mischievous kitten.

Said mischievous kitten squirms in Temari's arms, rolling around just enough to press one soft, slightly damp nose right between Sasuke's eyes.

"It's disturbing. Some days I think Itachi was actually reincarnated into a kitten." Sasuke shakes his head as he scoops up Itachi. "Alright. It'd be a waste of time to head back this far out."

"It would…" Temari scoops Shisui into her arms and sits down against a tree with him in her lap as one of her chunin aides starts the fire. "They might not be able to talk, but are we sure they're not ninja cats? They act like them."

Sasuke shrugs at that. "I guess it's possible. I guess we'll find out if they start talking."

"I guess we will…" Temari wouldn't put it past them, though. And it's not like all summons and ninja animals talked. Inuzuka's giant white dog didn't, as far as Temari knew. "Maybe we should pick them up some toys and treats while we're in the Leaf."

"Wouldn't that be the talk of the Leaf Village? The last Uchiha pet shopping?" Sasuke half snorts and half smirks. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to look around though."

"A little gossip wouldn't hurt either." Temari's lips quirk up mischievously. "And it's not like it's bad gossip to be seen out shopping for your pets with your lover."

The Sand Village was one thing, but the Leaf was different. "You sure you're ready for that?" He tilts his head at her. "One of the main reasons I like the Sand is because there is some degree of respect for privacy. The Leaf thrives on gossip."

Temari chuckles at the thought of being bothered by gossip. "I don't live in the Leaf, and when I'm there, I'm usually busy in meetings with the higher-ups, who either judge me by my own reputation, or keep their thoughts to themselves. Am I supposed to take to heart what a bunch of civilians and nosy shinobi think of me? If I cared about what others thought of me, I don't think I'd be able to do my job."

"God, I love you." Sasuke places a ghost of a kiss against her lips. "I don't know if any other woman could handle what we're about to walk into, but I'm glad that you can."

Temari smirks against his lips and slides her hand down his thigh. "I handle you well enough, don't I?"

"I like to think it's the other way around." He smirks as he deepens the kiss.

She chuckles as the kitten scampers out of her lap. For now, she'd let Sasuke think so. But they both knew who was really in charge here.

* * *

The journey to the Leaf took almost no time at all in Sasuke's mind. Seeing the entrance to the village was enough to make him wince. While he was away from the Leaf, it was easier to push the memories to the side. Now though, not so much. Not when he could see his Clan's District in the distance. Naruto must have reconstructed it for him. Hoping that Sasuke would go back, and assuming Sasuke would want his childhood home restored.

"Let's go. I think there might still be some shops open." He forces himself to smile.

After all, this wasn't like before. Instead of an almost impossibly loyal and loudmouth blond, he had a seductress of a blonde at his side and surprisingly, two small kittens. Sasuke could almost hear the original Itachi laughing at both of those developments in the afterlife.

Temari eyes Sasuke carefully, then takes a step closer to nearly brush her hip against his. "You're right, it's not that late yet. And we'll probably be stuck in the Hokage's mansion for several days thanks to the meetings, so we should take some time tonight to look around."

He nods and begins walking inside the village with her. "Alright. I imagine you're familiar with the Leaf by now. You can pick where we go."

"Familiar with the main market and weapons shops, outside of the administrative district." Though Temari couldn't honestly say that she'd ever gone shopping extensively, or with pets in mind. "Let's see…where would there be a pet shop?" There had to be a few, at least. There's no way that a clan like the Inuzuka would live here and let that sort of essential service go unsupplied.

"I know there is at least one in the main market district. We sometimes had to go there for our ninja cats." Sasuke nods at her.

"I see, so you've been shopping for kittens before, have you?" Temari shoots Sasuke a sly smile. "Imagine that, you must have been so cute."

He could only hope that his cheeks were still their normal shade of ivory and not the pink that they were threatening to bloom into. "One of the tasks my Clan would give the children was to chase after ninja cats and to care for them."

"So sweet…" Temari laughs at the thought of a tiny Sasuke running around taking care of the cats.

Itachi's nose twitches and he leaps down from Sasuke's arms, followed quickly by Shisui as the two dart off down the street and into one of the stores on the nearest corner.

"I guess so." Sasuke shakes his head. "It seems like they picked which store they want to go to."

"They probably decided to follow a scent." Temari strides after them and peers around the corner into the shop. It was hardly a surprise to find the pet shop that Sasuke had mentioned. But when she follows the sound of mewing into one of the rows of displays, she finds the two brothers pawing at a number of small bags. "Looks like they found the catnip."

The last Uchiha snorts at that and shakes his head. "Well, I suppose that wasn't entirely unexpected." He laughs as he grabs a couple bags.

"They know what they want, that's for sure." Temari smirks as she follows them around and collects the toys that they pull from the shelves. A couple of little balls, a mouse toy, a feather on a stick. Clearly someone wanted to practice pouncing.

"I'm beginning to think you might be right about the ninja cat thing." Sasuke chuckles.

Temari looks over her shoulder and turns her smirk on Sasuke instead of the kittens. "Of course I'm right." Hadn't he figured that out by now?

"Modesty is still your most becoming trait." Sasuke laughs before he hears someone else address him.

"Uchiha?" A rough, confused male voice blares from beside the counter, where an old lady and a younger pair stood gabbing.

The voice was...familiar. The face was as well to a degree, but it had been years since he last saw the Inuzuka who he attended the Academy with. "Kiba?"

Dark eyes widen slightly in surprise. "So it is you, I didn't hear that you were back. Well, I didn't hear Naruto parading it through the streets, anyway."

"He doesn't know yet." Sasuke watches the other ninja a bit warily. True, the Chunin was a formidable ninja in his own right, but that wasn't what the Uchiha was worried about. Kiba was also a good 'test case' for how people were going to react to him as far as the ninja community of the Leaf was concerned anyway. Before his defection, they had barely interacted. Kiba didn't have a reason to worship the ground he walked on or to carry a grudge. "It's complicated."

"Alright? But I wouldn't want to be you when Naruto finds out that you're here and you didn't tell him." Kiba frowns slightly, then glances at the bags in his former classmate's hands. "Catnip?"

"We'll let him know soon. It's just they sniffed out the catnip and darted off in front of us." Sasuke shrugs, figuring if he pretended it was perfectly normal for him to buy catnip...Kiba would react that way too.

He pauses for a moment before glancing a Temari and at Kabuto. "Temari, this is Kiba. Kiba, Temari. I'm not sure if you two have met." This was awkward. When was the last time he bothered to introduce anyone? Hell, for all he knew Temari probably knew the Inuzuka better than Sasuke did.

"Kiba." Temari nods politely. "It's been a while." Then she turns her eyes on the rather familiar face beside him. "Hello Hinata."

"Hello." She tilts her head in confusion at the sight before them, but the Hyuga Heiress was too polite to comment directly on whatever was likely going on in her mind, Sasuke observes. "It's good to see you back, Sasuke. N-Naruto is going to be so happy to see you again and it's always nice to see you Temari. I didn't realize you had a pet." Clearly, the Hyuga woman had assumed the kittens belonged to the blonde.

"They're not actually mine." Temari snickers as she picks up the little darlings. "Come here Itachi, Shisui." She cuddles them close to her chest and straightens up with the kittens in her arms.

Hinata blinks and looks on the verge of saying something, but apparently the quiet ninja was rather tongue tied. Sasuke felt sorry for her really. Not that he could blame her. Temari might as well have told her that Madara had decided to adopt kittens instead of him. Was there really any difference in the eyes of the villagers?

"Yes, they're mine." Adorable handfuls, Sasuke muses. Still, they were his.

Kiba groans and rolls his eyes. "No wonder I don't like you, you're a cat person."

Temari raises an eyebrow, but sense no malicious intent in the words. Then again, she'd never gotten the impression that the Inuzuka was the Uchiha's biggest fan, even back when they were kids.

"I don't mind dogs. They're just a little too predictable for my tastes. So I won't say that I don't like you because you like them." Sasuke shrugs, knowing what he was about do was somewhat childish, but still not caring enough to censor himself. "Though I wonder, how do you get along with Shino? After all, he's your teammate and he fights with insects. What about Sakura and her slugs?" Those creatures were a bit repulsive to Sasuke. Squishy and slimy. Snakes at least weren't slimy. Their scales could be quite regal in some cases like with Aoda. Wait, why was he analyzing this in the first place? "Let's not forget the Loser has a toad fetish."

Kiba's eyebrow twitches and when he grins, he shows his sharpened canines. "Yeah, well you're the one who's got all those giant wriggly snakes. Are you trying to compensate for something, Uchiha?"

"I don't have to compensate for anything. Just ask Temari." Damn it. So much for Kiba being a neutral party. For some reason, Sasuke didn't remember the mutt being THIS annoying at the Academy. Then again, he hadn't been paying much attention to Kiba back then either. Maybe this was normal for him.

Temari smirks and presses a kiss right below Sasuke's ear. "You're not, but don't let him bruise your ego too badly. That's my job." She draws a wide-eyed stare from Kiba, who definitely hadn't seen THIS couple coming.

Kiba's reaction to the kiss was more than enough for Sasuke to ignore the slight challenge in Temari's words. That and it felt good. An unusual location, but nice. "Is that what you've been trying to do all this time? Bruise my ego?" He snorts playfully as he kisses her cheek. "I think you've had the opposite effect really."

"Oh, I haven't even started yet." Temari's voice grows suggestive and her eyes twinkle as she lays a basket of toys and other supplies on the counter. "But I'm sure that Itachi and Shisui will help me come up with something."

"Yes, Temari. I'm absolutely terrified of what the kittens will help you come up with." Sasuke rolls his eyes playfully, glancing at Kiba out of the corner of his eye.

"Oh, you should be." Temari smirks and adds the catnip in Sasuke's arms to the pile as the old lady rings up the purchases.

The old shopkeeper smiles gently, her gaze drifting subtly to the young man who came around when he was little, back when her sister had run the shop. "That will be four thousand ryo, Miss."

Sasuke hands her the money. He wasn't going to make Temari pay for his pets. "Thank you." The woman looked vaguely familiar for some reason. He just couldn't place her for the life or him though.

Temari raises an eyebrow, but says nothing, since that would sting his pride a bit too much. "Were you planning on carrying the bags back as well?" She slides one onto the arm not holding the kittens.

"I'll carry some and you can carry some." Sasuke could read between the lines well enough, even if the implication was a bit baffling. Temari would likely be slightly to moderately offended if he carried them all.

Sasuke was sure his father and grandfather would have been equally puzzled though. To them, offering to carry their lover's things was just...something men did. It was considered polite, but Temari had to do everything the hard way. Maybe it was a Sand Villager thing or maybe his Clan was just different than most. It wasn't like he had ever bothered to figure out what was normal when dating someone and what wasn't.

Temari rolls her eyes and kisses his cheek. "Come on, let's go find our hotel and put the munchkins to bed." After all, they might not have actual babies yet, but they had two furry babies to look after. And they felt like they were starting to fall asleep after their little shopping adventure.

"Munchkins?" Sasuke raises an eyebrow, almost unable to believe that word came out of her mouth. "Well, you're right. Let's go to the hotel."

"Good." Temari smirks and saunters out of the store, being careful not to disturb the little kittens in her arms. "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

"Kiba's more annoying than I remember." Sasuke shakes his head, but his eyes follow her saunter.

"Didn't you ignore practically everyone when you were a brat?" Temari laughs at the thought of Sasuke interacting with Kiba. "You probably barely talked to him, because from what I've seen, that's normal for him."

He scoffs at the description. "I was not a brat. I just had more important things on my mind than playing their little games."

Temari scoffs and playfully nudges Sasuke with her hip. "You were a brat. You threw rocks at my brother when he was picking on that other brat, the old Hokage's grandkid. You even crushed one into dust just to prove you were strong enough to do it."

"Well, like you said, he was picking on Naruto and the kid." Sasuke shrugs, not feeling guilty about it. "I was defending my teammate. How did that make me a brat? It's not like I threw a fireball at him."

She slants an amused smirk at him. "Tell me truthfully that you weren't thinking about it and maybe I'll believe you. You were showing off and you know it. But I didn't mind, I still thought you were a hottie."

"The two aren't mutually exclusive." He smirks at her as he whisks her away with a flicker to their hotel, as they'd checked in as soon as they arrived before going on their walk. He slides the bag from her arm and tosses their shopping onto the corner table, then nestles the sleeping kittens amongst the purchases.

At seeing her teasing gaze still on him and the smirk upon her lips, he pounces and pins her against the bed teasingly. "Like you said, you didn't mind and I'm a 'hottie'." The word feels ridiculous on his tongue, but it did wonders for his pride to hear her praise his younger self like that.

"Yes, I did say that, didn't I?" Her eyes blaze with fiery amusement as she shifts beneath him, swinging her legs up and around his hips to flip them over and straddle Sasuke's lap. "I wasn't blind, you know. The first thing I thought when I saw you for the very first time went something along the lines of…mm…local hottie." And she wasn't ashamed in the least to admit it. "I kinda wanted to eat you all up right there."

She really did love to be on top, Sasuke muses. Though he certainly couldn't argue with the view as he caresses her cheek. "As an adult, that does wonders for my ego. I'm not really sure how I would have reacted back then though." It probably didn't matter. They were together now. "Though I do apologize for keeping you waiting so long. My grandfather used to say a man should never keep a woman waiting."

"Hm…I think I would have liked your grandfather." Temari was certainly not a woman who liked to be kept waiting. She was also a woman who did not appreciate being coddled. Though cuddling was certainly negotiable. "But I'm sure that you'll have plenty of opportunities to pass those good lessons on."

"Yes, right next to rock and fireball throwing." Sasuke smirks again as he kisses her, but his expression softens after pulling away. "He would have loved you. Though my father would have been annoyed by his comments."

"It's nice to know that I would have the family's seal of approval, but…" Temari leans down and nips along the curve of her lover's neck. "Yours is all that matters."

"You know that's cheating." Sasuke sighs in pleasure. His neck was still his spot. "I agree with what he would have said about you though." His lips curl in a smirk. "I asked him once how he fell in love with my grandmother. I didn't understand what he meant then, but he said she had nice melons and they came attached to an even nicer person. And then my father smacked him."

Temari bursts out laughing and settles herself down across Sasuke's hips. "Is that so?" She trails her fingers down his chest seductively. "He must have been subliminally conditioning you from an early age to appreciate…melons."

"It definitely worked if that was his intention. At least when it comes to you." He leans into her touch as he slides his hand underneath her shirt, slowly dragging it up inch by inch.

"Good." Temari's lips curve up into a wickedly seductive smirk. "Then by all means, enjoy them. I'll be sure to enjoy you too."

"In that case, I guess they won't mind if we're late to their meetings." Sasuke smirks as he flips them once again. After all, there were some benefits that came from being part of a ninja couple. One of them was stamina.

* * *

Kiba strides out of the Hokage mansion just as laughing and shouts of joy erupt from the very top floor of the building. Yeah, he definitely didn't want to be the Uchiha in the morning. Then again, he'd totally rat the guy out to Naruto just to watch the fireworks. The guy definitely deserved to get squished by one of Naruto's infamous hugs.

He passes by Shikamaru, heading up to the Hokage's office with a report and grins. "Watch out when you get up there, Naruto just found out that Sasuke's back in the village. He's more than a little excited, if you know what I mean."

Shikamaru shakes his head and rolls his eyes. "What a drag. I'd be amazed if the village is left standing when those two meet up again." He heads forward anyway. "Thanks for the warning."

It was hard to believe that Sasuke was back. Not that Shikamaru particularly cared on a personal level. He'd never really liked the guy, but that was probably more to do with the fact they were polar opposites. While Shikamaru hadn't cared much to utilize his genius until recently, Sasuke had been obsessed with getting better at everything for revenge. He'd arguably gone insane, but as far as the Nara could tell...Naruto had dragged him kicking and screaming back from 'the abyss.'

That meant Naruto was happy Sasuke was back. So Shikamaru would be happy for his friend, even if he was slightly wary about everything that entailed. Sasuke was no longer the second coming of Madara in his eyes, but even if the Uchiha played nice...his mere presence was bound to cause problems. What a drag.

The adviser hadn't even reached the door when the sounds of whooping and celebrating spilled out from the brightly lit office. Let it never be said that Naruto did any of his new work in the dark. But the sheer jubilant nature of the man filled the room to its brim and washed out from there all across the village.

And today, there was one very particular reason for that. "Sasuke's back! Damn the Teme for not telling me he was coming home!" He was torn between cursing out his best friend and celebrating the fact that he was basically back within arms reach.

"Maybe he wanted to surprise you." Shikamaru forces himself to smile. That or more likely, Sasuke wanted to minimize the circus that would likely ensue now that he was back.

"Maybe, the Bastard would probably do something like that." Naruto folds his arms across his chest and pretends to be upset. "But he could have told me at least, then I could have met them at the gates and gone with them to have ramen and celebrate the fact that the bastard finally isn't single anymore."

Shikamaru blinks. That last part was news to him. "He's in...a relationship? With who?" He didn't like Sasuke all that much, but even he couldn't help but feel curious.

"Oh! Uh…" Naruto rubs the back of his head sheepishly. "It's ah…not important. Anyway, we've got the meetings with the Sand over the next few days, right?"

"Naruto, you're being ridiculous. I'm going to find out eventually." Shikamaru shakes his head and snorts. "It's going to be the talk of the Five Nations."

"Well…yeah, but…" Naruto shifts uncomfortably. "He…Kiba said that it looks like he's here with the delegation from the Sand." He tries to soften it a bit for his friend, cause this was gonna hurt. "Kiba and Hinata saw Sasuke out shopping for pet stuff for his cats…with Gaara's sister, Temari."

"Since when does Sasuke Uchiha have a cat?" He raises an eyebrow and snorts. "Anyway, just because he was out shopping with her doesn't mean he was dating her."

"Dunno when he got the cats, but apparently…" Naruto's cheeks heat up at the thought of what Kiba told him. "Temari kissed him a couple of times, and according to Kiba, when he said that the bastard was 'compensating for something', Sasuke said that he should ask Temari whether he is or not."

"You're... fucking kidding me." Shikamaru winces as though he was punched. He wasn't even angry, so much as shocked.

Naruto backtracks a little, shaking his head frantically. "H-hey, maybe Kiba's just full of it, right? I mean, he's not exactly the best at figuring out what people mean when they say stuff, so maybe he misinterpreted it or something." He didn't like that look on his friend's face. Maybe it was a bad idea to tell him that.

"I'm pretty sure even Kiba couldn't misinterpret that." Shikamaru frowns as he tries to process that. "I mean, we broke up awhile ago. I knew she'd move on eventually, but with him?" That was just a slap in the face to get with a man who couldn't be more different than him. Well, except for fact they were both male ninja geniuses from the Leaf Village.

Naruto's first instinct was to defend Sasuke, but he just barely managed to bite his tongue. Tact, he needed to employ tact like Iruka had told him. "Are you gonna be okay for the meetings tomorrow?"

"It's a drag, but I'll manage it. I'm a professional Naruto." He shakes his head, trying to clear his thoughts. "If I had tried harder we might still be together, but I just figured there would be time for being TOGETHER after everything settled down. The war was devastating. We needed to focus and I guess maybe we were just too different."

"Okay, then we'll go and get ramen before we meet with Temari and the other guys from the Sand." It was hard. Naruto was torn between being upset for Shikamaru and happy for Sasuke. Whose side was he supposed to be on? Was he just supposed to sit back and watch while everything got so…complicated?

"Yeah. That's probably a good idea." Shikamaru sighs and nods at the new Hokage.

"Alright!" Naruto grins, trying to lighten the atmosphere again. "Then it's tonkatsu pork ramen for breakfast!" Because nothing was better than waking up and going to get some ramen!


	8. Chapter 8

Fanning His Flames

 **Authors' Note:** Thanks for the reviews. We hope that you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 8

Temari smirks and glances back over her shoulder at the dark-haired genius carrying a bag with two fluffy kittens inside it. And he seemed abnormally focused on the two of them. "Do you really think that they're going to take off again, Sasuke?"

"The kittens are named after Itachi and Shisui, I don't think they'll take off." Sasuke shakes his head. "I know they will."

She can't help but laugh, because it was certainly a bad habit that the kittens were getting into. "At least they're adventurous. They'll help keep you fit when you chase after them."

He raises an eyebrow at that. "Temari, if you truly think my physical fitness is in doubt, we can cancel this event and I will spend the rest of the day reassuring you that is not the case. We can always test out how strong that desk in the hotel room is. It looks rather sturdy." It'd be a lot more enjoyable than an awkward meeting in the Hokage Mansion.

"Don't tempt me, Sasuke. I do actually have a job to do." Temari laughs and pushes open the door to Naruto's office, knowing that Naruto would have cleared everybody out for the meeting. "We can test out the desk later." She steps inside with a familiar smile. "Lord Hokage."

Naruto grins widely as the Sand's ambassador walks into his office. "Hey Temari!." His eyes widen slightly, gleaming brightly at the sight of the man behind her. "Sasuke!" He leaps up from his desk in a split second, crossing the room in half that time.

"It's Naruto, he would forgot about it as soon as ramen was put in front of him." Sasuke smirks. He still liked his idea better, but he didn't get another opportunity to expand on why his choice was clearly superior. Why? Well, because Naruto had decided to tackle him.

"Loser, one day we're going to have to teach you about personal space." Sasuke snorts, but there was no malice in it. This was Naruto. "I'm glad to see you too though." He smiles slightly. Naruto was one of only a handful of people that the last Uchiha actually trusted and his brother in all but blood.

Naruto springs off Sasuke in an instant, a pout on his face. "Hey, you're the one who never comes to visit. I gotta get in the hugs while you're actually around!"

"Naruto, you're a grown man trying to hug another grown man. What's next are you going to wear those ugly green spandex outfits?" He rolls his eyes.

"Nah, I'm good with orange!" Naruto laughs happily, his whole form glowing with excitement. Two mews draw his attention to the square bag hanging at his friend's side, and then to the two furry faces sitting within it. "Oh, no way! So Kiba was serious about the cats?"

"It's a long story." Sasuke shrugs at Naruto. "Temari's certain they're ninja cats." Though he was starting to suspect that she might be right about that.

Itachi springs out of the bag first, sniffing at the hem of Naruto's long white jacket. Shisui joins him in a flash, sniffing, then rubbing up against the young Hokage's leg.

Temari laughs at the very odd sight. "I guess even the cats know how close you two are."

"Cats are perceptive like that." It was one of the reasons why his Clan had favored them, even if it was difficult to get them to follow orders.

"Hey, I think they like me!" Naruto grins and bends down to let the kittens crawl up his arms and onto his shoulders. "Haha, they're just like the old Geezer Sage and Granny Toad." He was so caught up in the cats that he didn't even notice the door opening a second time.

Sasuke did though. He quickly turns around to see who it was. His battle instincts never shut off.

As does Temari, and instantly, she wished she hadn't. "…Shikamaru…" She should have known that he would be at this meeting. As Naruto's adviser, the Nara was privy to all of the diplomatic meetings taking place in the village. And that included any that involved Temari. And now…Sasuke.

"Hey Shika!" Naruto grins, trying to ignore the tension that had suddenly sprung up in the room with his friend's arrival.

It was an odd feeling. While Sasuke knew logically he hadn't done anything wrong, being in the same room as Shikamaru was uncomfortable. Not because he was actually worried the lazy genius would do something stupid, but it felt a bit like he was throwing his relationship with Temari in the other man's face.

"Shikamaru." He nods at him, but Sasuke didn't know what to say. He'd never had anything against the other man, but here he was romantically involved with his former lover.

Shikamaru frowns as he looks from Temari to Sasuke. "Uchiha." What a drag. "This is awkward, but let's just focus on doing our jobs for now." It was strange to know they were together. It was almost as if Temari had deliberately gone out and found someone who was his polar opposite in terms of temperament just to spite him.

"Yes, that would probably be best." Temari tries not to breathe a sigh of relief that at least this meeting shouldn't get any more awkward. At least, in theory. "So, the Kazekage has sent me here to discuss the possibility of restarting the Chunin Exams." With all of the recovery from the war that needed doing, holding twice-yearly competitions wasn't high on the list of priorities of most of the great nations.

"Right…it's been a while since we've had those." Naruto had missed three years of them outside the village, then missed another two years of them just cause he was busy trying not to get killed by the Akatsuki. Then the war happened and…no one was really up for them. "Does that mean we're sending them through the Forest of Death again?"

"I'd hesitate to do that because of what happened last time, but the Forest of Death is fairly neutral terrain. I'd almost suggest having them in the Sand, but the desert climate puts the non natives at a disadvantage." Sasuke sighs.

"Oh, I don't know. The last time we held the exams in the Sand, the participants did quite well in the Demon Desert." Of course, that was if you ignored the fact that two jinchuuriki were captured and nearly killed during the exams. But Temari still saw the exams themselves as successful, even if there were extenuating circumstances beyond the scope of the exam. They would just need to screen the participants better. And since no jinchuuriki would be participating in the exams, they wouldn't encounter the same problem as the last time.

"Well, it would be less work on our end." Shikamaru sighs as he shakes his head. "That and we don't want the Leaf to be seen as in charge of everything. There might be merit to the idea."

Temari nods, acquiescing to the point. "And of course, now that we've got peace agreements in place, we would have to rotate the exams among the great nations every six months so it's never held too often in the same place and so that every nation gets their chance." It would be less convenient for some, since places like the Cloud were far from the border they shared with other nations, but the travel could be considered a preliminary test for the exams.

"Ugh…that sounds like a lot of running around…" And Naruto knew that he'd be expected to attend with the other Kage involved in the exams. Which meant…all of them.

"It's a drag, but it's got to be done." Shikamaru sighs.

A muscle in Temari's jaw twitches. "Then we'll make it happen. Running around or not, if one village feels slighted, we'll just be seeing the same problem all over again." And after everything they'd fought through, everything they'd lost…Temari was NOT just going to sit around and watch it all happen again.

Sasuke places his hand on Temari's shoulder in an effort to calm her. "We'll make it work. If you can all coordinate the shinobi allied forces, this should be easy in comparison."

With the calming pressure on her shoulder, Temari takes a deep breath and sighs. "Right, this should be easy." She pulls out a scroll and pen. "Then we can make a list of all the places in the great nations that would make for good exam locations and go from there."

"Great idea." Naruto grins widely. "I know this one place in the Land of Lightning that would be a great spot for the exams!"

"There's an uninhabited island in the Land of Water that might be a good choice." Sasuke nods, figuring he may as well contribute.

Temari scratches the possibility into the list as it slowly begins to grow. "Good. See, I knew I'd brought you along for a reason."

Sasuke smirks at that and bites back listing some of the other reasons out loud. It would just be in poor taste to rub their relationship in Shikamaru's face. And there was no need to start a fight in the middle of Naruto's office if it wasn't with the Loser.

* * *

After what seemed like an eternity, the formal parts of the negotiation were over. "Temari, you might want to go back to the hotel and get out some treats for the ninja cats."

He knew what was going to happen. What needed to happen and Sasuke also knew that having Temari there would only make things more of a 'drag' as Shikamaru liked to say. That and he could hardly say the word kittens in front of everyone who was closing up a diplomatic meeting. Ninja cats just sounded more dignified. "I'm going to get some more kunai. So I'll meet you there." He smiles at her.

"Alright." Temari wasn't fooled in the least. She'd seen the looks that Sasuke and Shikamaru had tried not to shoot each other during the meeting, and she was under no illusions as to what the cause of their tension was. She slips the band of the cat-carrier from Sasuke's shoulder and slides it over her own. She turns to the two kittens sitting on the desk and opens up the carrier. "Come on Shisui, Itachi. Your Dad's got things to do."

The adventurous little kittens don't move from their new exciting place on Naruto's shoulders, and Shisui seemed more than a little fascinated by the bright gold of Naruto's spiky hair.

Temari rolls her eyes at the kittens. "Alright, fine, you can bring your new toy along." She grabs a bewildered Naruto by the wrist and tugs him through the door of the office. Much to his protest.

Sasuke shakes his head at being addressed as the kittens' 'dad.' Still, he knows better than to protest. Temari was doing what he wanted. "Good idea. I'm sure Naruto will make an admirable scratching post for them."

"Whoa, hey! What's going on he-" The door slams shut behind the two blonds, blocking out much of the sound as Naruto's dull roar is muffled to a confused grumble, leaving the tension in the room to thicken.

The office is silent in the presence of two geniuses, one scrutinizing the other carefully, mentally cataloging every gesture, every motion, every word that had passed between Temari and the Uchiha. And Shikamaru could come to only one conclusion. And he knew well that it was the right one. "Since when were you added to the diplomatic team from the Sand?"

"Since this mission." Sasuke didn't see a reason to lie to him, but disclosing teh details of why he had been selected seemed unwise. "I know that you and Temari were together before, but we're not Academy Students. We're adults and you're the Hokage's assistant. We should be able to put aside our personal feelings aside for the sake of diplomacy."

"Agreed, I wasn't planning on causing an incident." But that didn't mean that Shikamaru didn't want to know just how THIS had happened. "I'd heard you stopped in the Sand for a while." He glances at the door. "…Is she why?"

Sasuke eyes Shikamaru. He barely knew the other ninja and the last Uchiha had only recently made an effort to 'become less of an antisocial bastard,' but he did know one thing. Nothing good would come of this conversation.

On the other hand, it'd be cruel to deny Shikamaru closure. "No and while I don't think it's a good idea to tell you everything about our relationship, I'll answer your questions if you want." Sasuke shrugs, feigning a sense of casualness. "I know it can be frustrating not to know the full story."

"…Yeah, I suppose you would." Shikamaru didn't think it was a good idea either, but honestly, he'd been totally blindsided by the news. "…Did you two just…happen to slide together or was she…aggressive about it?"

"Does it really matter how we got together?" Sasuke couldn't help, but feel like he was battling Deidara again and there were metaphorical bombs underneath his feet that he needed to dodge. "I won't lie to you, but I think those sorts of details won't do you any good. So do you still want to know?"

Shikamaru considers him, weighing the response. "No, I don't need to know." If it had been like him and Temari back in the day, then Sasuke wouldn't have dodged like that. Clearly, one of them had been aggressive about it, and Shikamaru knew where to put those bets. "Are you planning on keeping her?"

He snorts at that. "Shikamaru, she's my lover. Not my pet." Sasuke shakes his head. "It's up to her whether she wants to stay or leave, but as difficult as this is for you to believe...I do love her."

"…What a drag…" It wasn't that Shikamaru was judging the Uchiha by his reputation, he knew better than that. But he was honestly curious about what made Temari choose Sasuke instead. What had made her choose the unholy terror of the ninja world, as deserved or undeserved as that title might be, seemingly out of the blue? "I don't like it, but I know that kicking up a fuss about it would be stupid, pointless, and suicidal." Temari was a woman who knew what she did and didn't want, and nothing that Shikamaru could do would have her changing her mind. He knew that. Not to mention that challenging Sasuke Uchiha for her would be a death sentence.

"Yes, it wouldn't be advisable." Sasuke smirks. "I'm not petty enough to throw my weight around just because you cared for her first, but...we both know how Temari is."

"Yeah." Shikamaru quirks a rueful smile. "She's quite the troublesome woman." He didn't like it. He didn't like the feeling of losing to the Uchiha. But Shikamaru knew that it was pointless to debate it now. Then he sighs and rubs the back of his head. "Alright, get out of here Uchiha. No one in their right mind hangs around the empty Hokage's office when Naruto's out."

"I'd be lying, if I said I wasn't curious about why the two of you ended things, but you're right." Sasuke heads towards the door before glancing back at him. "If it makes it easier, you would have been the more logical choice."

"Maybe, but you're the one she chose." As much as it burned Shikamaru inside, he didn't have a say anymore in what Temari did or didn't do. And even when he did, he knew well enough when not to say a thing. "You're the one she can have without traveling three days around a schedule packed with diplomatic duties."

"That's a point in my favor and there about a million other reasons not in my favor." He turns the door knob. "I got lucky. I suppose it was bound to happen at least once out the laws of statistical probability."

"Right." Shikamaru scoffs at the idea of probability having anything to do with ninjas getting lucky. They were NEVER that lucky. "Go take care of your kittens." He still had a few things to do around the office before locking up.

"You're never going to let me live that down, are you?" Sasuke scoffs as he heads off.

"Never." Shikamaru smirks as the door closes, then sighs as he turns to the piles of paperwork left on Naruto's desk. Since he was the one without a social event planned for the evening, it looked like it was falling to him to handle the last dregs of work for the day. Like usual.

* * *

A few minutes later, Sasuke smiles as he returns to his hotel room to tender sight. That of Temari playing with Shisui and Itachi. "I wish I had brought a camera."

Temari raises her gaze from the kittens splayed out over her stomach and smirks. "Why, so you can get blackmail material?"

"The thought hadn't occurred to me." He shakes his head as he gets on the bed with her. "You seem right at home with kittens. Perhaps I should start calling you my sex kitten."

"Oh really?" Temari's eyes twinkle with amusement. "Are you sure that I shouldn't be calling you that instead? After all, you're the one that they've adopted as their Daddy."

"...That description usually cares a feminine connotation." Sasuke snorts.

"And we're a shining example of what's usual?" Temari quirks a playful eyebrow. "If that's what you think, then I don't think that you've been paying attention."

Sasuke quirks an eyebrow and kisses her. "Last I checked, my name wasn't Haku. Though if you need a reminder that I'm a man, I"m more than happy to prove it to you."

"Oh, I know that you're a man." Temari presses a kiss of her own to his lips and her hand reaches boldly down, gripping her prize firmly in her palm. "But it doesn't stop you from being the Daddy Cat." The two kittens on her stomach mew happily, waving their tiny heads back and forth.

"You know it's hard to debate semantics when you're doing that." Sasuke groans.

"That's the point, Kitten." Temari laughs and massages a little longer, before pulling her hand away and returning her attention to the soft, fluffy kittens laying atop her. "So, did you and Shikamaru have a good talk? Or is there a body laying in the Hokage's office that I should be worried about?"

"I wouldn't kill Shikamaru for being upset over losing you." Sasuke kisses her. "I can't say that we were ever close and I doubt we ever will be, but doing that would make me a hypocrite. I'd be lost without you." He would be just as upset, if not more so in Shikamaru's place. Not that he would admit such a thing out loud.

"Is your sense of direction that bad?" Temari rolls over as the kittens bound off of her stomach, and she pulls Sasuke down onto the bed with her.

"You know what I meant." He shakes his head before deepening the kiss.

Sure she did, but that didn't mean that she didn't still like to play mind games with him. And every time she provoked him, it always ended very well for her. Like now, as she did rather enjoy being kissed by a man who was fire incarnate. "It's fun to tease you."

"I prefer it when you tease me in other ways." Sasuke breaks the kiss by tugging at her lower lip. "One's that are mutually enjoyable."

"But I like teasing you in many ways." Temari's eyes darken with desire, but light with amusement. "Why would I ever restrict it to only one?"

"As I said because it's mutually enjoyable." She did have a sassy mouth, Sasuke muses as he captures her lips in a heated kiss again and performs ninjutsu to soundproof the room.

"Yes, it is, isn't it?" Oh well, Temari supposed that she could save her games of psychological warfare for another day. After all, she did like to take enjoyment wherever she could find it.


	9. Chapter 9

"You're getting rather good at that." Temari hums in amusement as all the sound from outside the room ceases to exist. And she knew that the reverse would, of course, also be true. "It's a very helpful bit of ninjutsu, isn't it?" She reaches up and twirls her fingers through those spiky raven locks and clenches her hand into a fist as she tugs on them.

"Very helpful." He smiles as he kisses her again. "I wish I had learned it years ago. Do you have any idea how helpful that would have been back when I was on Team Seven or in the Sound Village?"

It would have saved his eardrums so much grief. "I have to admit that I prefer using it for this purpose though." The rest of the world could just be locked away and forgotten about for a time at least. That, and beds were rapidly becoming his new favorite piece of furniture...even if they could be a little fragile sometimes.

"Yes, so do I. It's much more…satisfying." Temari smirks as she deepens the somewhat frantic kisses. She runs a hand up Sasuke's side and around his back to pull him down on top of her. For she knew his weight would never crush her.

He groans into the kiss as he glides his tongue against her own in a seductive dance almost as old as time. "Much more." It was likely a good thing that he had been so focused on revenge really. Had he known that intimacy could be this addictive...Sasuke never would have gotten any training done. It was so easy to get lost in the softness of her curves and the sleekness of her muscles.

Temari's soft caress turns hard as she rolls them over and, without breaking the kiss for even a moment, plants herself firmly in her lover's lap. It was a heady experience to be able to feel Sasuke so aroused beneath her. Every moment of it was a rush of power. For as much as she adored him, she loved the rush of power she felt every time she could overwhelm her far more innocent lover.

He looks up at her with confusion shimmering in his ruby irises, but Sasuke didn't see a reason to actively protest. Not when the view was that lovely. Besides, he probably should have expected such a move. "The line between lovemaking and training is closely interwoven when it comes you. How fond of this shirt are you?" He could just tear it off...it'd be easier.

 **Warning Lemon**

With a soft laugh, Temari shakes her head and pulls the red ribbon binding her soft purple and white top in place, then pops the garment over her head. "Fond enough that I made sure it would be easy to remove." After all, she had to spare her wardrobe from the wrath of Sasuke's libido somehow.

"Luckily for me, they weren't kidding when they called you a genius." He watches her begin to undress with heated eyes. He could flip them easily enough and keep her pinned, but if she wanted to put put on a show...Sasuke was just fine with that. The childish impulse to 'win' evidently took a backseat when it came admiring the splendor that was a naked Temari.

Temari smirks with satisfaction as she unclasps her bra and allows the strapless satin device to fall onto Sasuke's chest. "No, they definitely weren't." Then she reaches down to the laces of her shorts that trail up and down her hips, and she unties them, allowing her tight black shorts to merely fall open on Sasuke's lap.

Sasuke never knew the simple act of undressing could transform into an art form all its own until he took Temari for his lover. "As always I'm humbled by your modesty." Sasuke smirks as he tugs her shorts off the rest of the way. "It's nearly as infinite as my patience."

As her lover divests her of the last of her clothes, Temari fingers his dark shirt teasingly "Yes, and we must all thank the heavens for your sage-like patience. What could we possibly do without it?"

"Let's hope that we never find out." His eyes dance with mischief. "I don't care about this shirt. You can rip it if you like." That was one sex kitten with claws.

"Good, it needs replacing anyway, it doesn't flatter you very well." And with tiny blades of wind chakra arcing along her fingers, the front of the shirt falls to pieces under her touch. "I'll be sure to update your wardrobe when we return home." Her hand falls to his pants and tears them down his legs. "But let's not make a habit of destroying too many clothes, shall we?"

"I'll try to take it easy on your wardrobe, but I make no promises." It was like a Chidori Current of lust was flowing through his body as soon as Temari shredded his clothing. "I think that you find it erotic to boss me around though. You even want to oversee my wardrobe now."

"Yes, I do find it erotic to boss you around." Temari's face grows a wicked smirk as her fingers dance along her lover's pale skin. "All you need is a firm hand to guide you…" She reaches slowly into his boxers to grip the hard, heated flesh in the palm of her hand. "And someone to tell you that baggy and black do not flatter you." She imagined that tight and blue would look much better.

"Well, until you...I had no reason to care about anything other than the practicality of my wardrobe." He smirks at her. "As for a firm hand, well...if you insist." He brings his hand down on her shapely backside in sensual swat.

Temari's mouth makes a sound similar to if a gasp and a laugh were cut off by a yip. Her teal eyes heat with fire and slowly, her smirk returns in full force. She releases Sasuke from her hand and merely sits back on his lap, swiveling her hips to provide just enough friction to drive him insane. "What happened to your patience, Sasuke?"

He groans as he moves in time to match her seductive teasing. "I'm being very patient. I haven't bent you over the bed and fucked you senseless yet."

The fire in Temari's eyes give off a challenging light as she grinds down just a little bit harder. "Why haven't you?"

He tugs on a nipple with his teeth. "I like the view." Slowly gliding his tongue against the sensitive rosebud before sucking lightly on it with his hot mouth. He continues his teasing for a few more seconds before flipping them completely.

In one swift movement, he had her bent over the bed. "I also like this view though. It's a tough choice." He smacks her backside harder this side as his hand snakes between her thighs and rubs her, toying with her clit.

"Ah!" Shudders race through Temari's body as a sensual assault takes hold of her and sings with the adrenaline racing through her veins. It wasn't often that a man got the upper hand with her, but she loved a good challenge. And Sasuke was nothing if not a challenge.

"I love you." He places a soft kiss to her ear, before biting down on it lightly and sliding two fingers deep inside her, not stopping for a single second as he plunges them inside her faster and faster. Having already memorized exactly where the spot was inside her, he knew exactly where to touch that would make her scream the loudest.

"Sasuke!" Her voice comes out half a scream and half a groan, and Temari's legs tremble with the pleasurable assault by her lover's hand. She presses back against those fingers encouragingly. "Yes…!"

He lets go of her ear in favor of placing a series of kisses down her jaw and over her collarbone until he nips her there. "I like it when you scream for me." Sucking, kissing, and licking the sensitive skin hard enough to leave marks as he pumps his fingers inside her faster and faster. Withdrawing them right when she was on the very edge of orgasm, only to replace them with something far bigger. "Don't hold back. The Soundproofing Jutsu means no one can hear us." Exactly the way he preferred it because Sasuke was confident the feeling of her gripping his cock like this was enough to make the entire hotel overhear them at this rate...if it weren't for that jutsu.

Full, round hips roll back as an echoing cry tears itself from Temari's throat. A sheen of sweat on her skin shimmers in the dimmed light of the hotel room. And despite the waves of pleasure lancing through her body from where she squeezes that impatient man's wonderful cock, her body does not entirely give way to the force behind his thrusts.

He wraps one of his arms around her waist to pull her back against him even more tightly as he thrusts faster and faster, using the other hand to brace against the bed. "Fuck." How did it always feel this incredible?

"Yes! Yes!" Temari screams her approval breathlessly, one hand traveling up to clasp around Sasuke's and tighten his grip just a little more.

He growls his own approval as he buries himself inside her again and again. His entire thought process reduced to one simple word: More. Until finally, he completely lost control and spilled his release inside her. Though he continues thrusting and rubbing her clit, riding out his climax as he intend on pushing her once more towards that same bliss.

"Sasuke!" Temari's arms nearly turn to jelly as that wonderfully familiar knot of pleasure bursts a second time, sending yet another wave of pleasure washing through her. She pants softly, the tiniest of smiles on her lips as she relaxes and trembles slightly in Sasuke's embrace.

Sasuke tries to catch his breath as he slides out of his lover. Though he could swear his heart was pounding as fast as it did during any battle, this was the far more pleasurable kind of adrenaline.

 **End of Lemon**

He smiles at that thought as he scoops Temari into his arms before setting her on the bed and joining the feisty blonde. "Remind me again why we have to leave the hotel room?" Ever, Sasuke muses to himself as he wraps the blankets around them in a protective cocoon.

Temari smiles contentedly and closes her eyes. "Because I have work to do, and I like knowing that you're staring at my ass while I do it."

"It IS a very nice ass, but we could do that here." He rests his head on top of hers. A feeling of satisfaction cascading through his body, creating a wonderful warmth was making it hard to think of much else.

"True, but I still have work to do." Work that was, thankfully, mostly done now. Temari merely had another meeting in the morning, and then they could leave in the afternoon after grabbing some lunch for the road.

"I suppose that's true." Sasuke nods and that's when he sees the door open and has no time to react before a blond blur comes flying at them.

"Hey Sasuke! I was thinking, since it's your last night here and all, that we could-" Naruto skids to a stop in the middle of the room, his eyes wide and round as he stares at the couple on the bed. "Go try this new ramen…"

"Loser, get the Hell out!" Sasuke feels his Rinnegan and Sharingan whirl in frustration. Naruto was one of the strongest ninjas who had ever lived, but he apparently was now competing with Kakashi to see who had the worse timing. "Let me get dressed and then we can talk about your damn ramen." It was nothing short of a miracle that the lovable idiot hadn't walked in on them even five minutes earlier.

Naruto's mouth, once gaping, snaps shut as he flees the room. He disappears in a flash as though a thunder god were flying after him.

Temari rolls her eyes at the blond Hokage fleeing the room. At least in her village, people learned how to knock instead of barging through doors or jumping in through windows, or dropping in from a panel in the ceiling. "…Does this happen often in this village? People walking in with no concept of privacy?"

"Yes, people rarely bother to knock. My Clan was one of the few exceptions." Sasuke rolls his eyes as he gets up and begins to dress. "I'm sorry, but if I don't go...he's never going to shut up. Not that I care that much about ramen, but he's right. We'll be heading back soon and I should spend some time with him." He kisses Temari's forehead. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Alright, but it's fine if you take your time." Temari flashes him a teasing smile as two little mounds of fur leap onto the bed. "After all, I have all the company I need right here." She runs her fingers along Shisui and Itachi's backs, ruffling up their soft, fluffy fur.

He quirks an eyebrow. "Are you seriously trying to make me jealous of cats?" It felt like it.

"I don't know. Am I?" Temari's smile twists into a smirk. "And more importantly…is it working?" Though she already knew the answer to that question.

"You definitely are and I'll punish you for that later." Sasuke leans over and kisses her again, briefly caressing her face. "I'm certain Kakashi would just love to lend me a pair of chakra cuffs." Sasuke would never hear the end of it, but it'd be worth it.

"Oh, now that request I HAVE to see." Temari knew it would be utterly hilarious to watch. "Now go have fun with your other blond. After all, you wouldn't want to keep the Hokage waiting."

"It'd be fun to keep him waiting, but I do value my eardrums." Sasuke sighs as he reluctantly pulls himself away from his lover. "I'm serious about the cuffs, though. I don't bluff." Sasuke smirks slightly as he flickers away.

* * *

Naruto shifts nervously as Sasuke flickers into sight. And immediately, he opens his mouth to head Sasuke off. Because if he let Sasuke have the first word, he was probably going to get Chidoried. "I swear that I didn't mean to walk in on that. I didn't think you two were…" It was like walking right into one of the old perv's books. "I mean…does Gaara know that you're…banging his sister?"

"You are such a loser. I can't believe you just called it that. You damn overgrown Chunin." Sasuke rolls his eyes at his friend's lack of tact. "I know you didn't know that we were busy because you're an idiot. Not a voyeur." As for his other question though, the Uchiha didn't see a reason not to answer it. "Gaara knows and he's okay with it." Not that it would have stopped them, if he wasn't. "That, or at least he's not foolish enough to dictate Temari's personal life." It wouldn't have ended well, if he had. Gaara was obviously the stronger ninja, but Temari was...a genius and feisty as fuck.

"Okay…?" Naruto just wanted to be sure that his best friend didn't end up killing his other best friend over a woman they both apparently cared a whole lot about. "…So…does this mean that you're going to have a bunch of little blond Uchiha babies?"

"It's possible. Though unlikely since dark hair tends to dominate." Sasuke doesn't bat an eye. "She wants to wait a few years though. Mostly because she's an Ambassador." He didn't really want to wait, but Sasuke knew it was the wiser move. Temari did hold an important position and it would give people time to get used to see him as something other than a symbol of destruction.

"Oh…" Naruto frowns slightly as he steps inside the ramen shop. He waves his hand at Teuchi to get the ramen started. He was definitely looking forward to that. But there was definitely something that felt…off with Sasuke. "And…you're okay with waiting that long?" Sasuke had been talking about restoring his clan since they were short and annoying. And now…

"For her, I'm okay with it." Sasuke sighs as his eyes scan around them to ensure that no one was eavesdropping. "I love her. I can wait and it's the smarter decision. I'd never ask her to give up her position as an ambassador. It's too important to her." It was important work. The Sand was lucky to have her doing it. He'd just have to be patient.

Temari was different from him in one key respect. She didn't make decisions based on emotional whims. They hadn't been together that long. She'd probably want to wait until their relationship was more established before bringing children into the world with him. He had to prove himself more to her. The fact that she wasn't terrified of him was nothing more than dumb luck. Hell, it was nothing short of a miracle that she loved him. Asking for more at the moment was just tempting fate. So he could wait.

Naruto's eyes widen once more, then his expression softens into a smile. "Yeah, I get it. Besides, you're like…barely twenty. Are you really ready to handle your mini army yet?" Cause there was no way that overachieving bastard was going to stop at just one or two. "There's gonna be a lot of diapers to change, you know."

"Naruto, we saved the world. I think I can handle changing diapers." He rolls his eyes at his friend. Granted it wasn't a part of parenthood that anyone had ever looked forward to, but he'd suck it up. "Besides, I imagine it'll be easier than retrieving that cat we kept bringing back to its crazy owner as Genin." Sasuke had actually felt sorry for it really. It's owner had nearly suffocated it with a vice like embrace. It was no wonder the feline had run away.

"Right, Tora!" Naruto grins widely, even more so when Teuchi places a big bowl of tonkatsu pork and fried seafood ramen in front of him. The new menu items were courtesy of a new trading agreement that got fresh seafood shipped in from the Land of Tea and the Land of Waves. "I sure hope that you treat your kittens better than that old rich lady treated her's."

"They're spoiled rotten." As evidenced by the fact that they were likely cuddled up to Temari's chest right now, Sasuke muses. Lucky fluffballs.

The thought of Sasuke spoiling little kittens makes Naruto laugh. Who would have thought that his irritable teammate would end up having such a soft spot for furry little animals. "Then I guess all that time chasing Tora around was good for something after all!"

Sasuke nods as he fits some ramen between his chopsticks. It'd likely never be his first choice, but he'd grown to tolerate it over the years. Hell, maybe even like it to some degree. It was a symbol of home. Mostly because Naruto was obsessed with it and it was something of a constant in his life that hadn't had many of those. "Yes, I guess so. Though I suppose the food's not bad. Not good enough to justify you being an idiot, though."

"Hey! I said I was sorry!" And it's not like Naruto had actually meant to walk in on that! "Besides, it's not like I'm trying to steal your girlfriend or anything. Temari's way too scary."

"I know you're sorry and you couldn't steal her anyway." Sasuke snorts. "Even if you did, you'd never be able to handle her."

"What, and you can?" Naruto didn't like losing to Sasuke on principle, but even he couldn't figure out how Sasuke managed to do any kind of handling when it came to Temari. The woman was less a firecracker and more a chain of explosive tags. "How do you handle her without getting blown up against a wall by that fan of hers?" He'd heard about ways that Shikamaru and Temari had settled their very rare disputes. And usually they involved Temari and her fan.

"...You walked in on how I handle her." Sasuke smirks.

Naruto promptly drops his chopsticks into his bowl as his face flames up with a scarlet hue dusting across his cheeks. "Sasuke!" Now THAT part he definitely DIDN'T need to know! "When the hell did you turn into such a perv!?"

"I had Kakashi for a teacher and spent years in the Sound Village." Sasuke shrugs as if that should have been obvious. "I also have Temari as a lover. Though if I'm being honest, it's mostly the latter's influence."

"Jeez…and here I thought that the old perv was bad with all his bathhouse peeping." In a rare show of wisdom, Naruto decides that he really doesn't want to know anything more about what Sasuke was getting up to with his new girlfriend. …Okay, well, maybe there was just one more thing he wanted to know. "So, when's the wedding?"

Sasuke chokes on his ramen. "W-What?" Well, to be fair, Sasuke knew he'd eventually ask her. Though Temari seemed more focused on her career than walking down the aisle at the moment.

Naruto did a little dance in his head, celebrating the fact that this time, it was Sasuke who was choking on his food. "You heard me. I mean, if you're already planning on popping out an Uchiha Army with her, then I figure that you're gonna at least pop the question first. You just seem more…traditional about that bit. I mean, you don't gotta, but I figure that clans are more into that stuff."

"Obviously, I'm going to marry her before we have children." He should probably clarify. "I know that it isn't necessary to be married, but I want it to be official. I just don't want to ambush her with a wedding proposal this early." Temari was too practical for that.

"Hm…I get it." Naruto gulps down the broth from his extra large bowl of ramen, then sets the bowl back down and grins. "Just remember to let me know as soon as you figure out when you're having it, alright? I gotta make sure that I can sneak away from the village long enough to hang out before and after you tie the knot."

"Naruto, you know that after I tie the knot, I'm going on my honeymoon with Temari." He shakes his head quickly. "That's one event you're not invited to, but I'll let you know about the wedding."

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Naruto wasn't expecting to get invited to the honeymoon, that's for sure. He knew Sasuke wanted kids, but he didn't need to see him getting busy making them.

"Good." Sasuke nods at Naruto. "Anyway, I'm sure that you'll find someone who can handle your obliviousness and horrible fashion sense. If nothing else, you're energetic and eager to please. Kinda like a messy puppy. Some women like that. Just try not to chew on their slippers."

"HEY! I do NOT chew on slippers!" Naruto huffs indignantly at the insinuation and holds up his giant bowl to Teuchi. "Another bowl! That's the good stuff!" But insinuation or not, nothing was gonna keep him from enjoying a good evening of ramen with his best friend before he disappeared again to go back to the Sand with his new girlfriend.


	10. Chapter 10

Fanning His Flames

 **Silver's Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. Sorry that this one took awhile to update. We mostly got distracted by our other stories and weird schedules. We hope that you enjoy this chapter and yes, we have every intention of finishing this story. Happy reading.

Chapter 10

Funnily enough, it seemed that the only place the two of them could get any peace and quiet was on the road. Whether it was her brothers or Sasuke's hyperactive best friend, it sometimes felt as though the entire world was trying to butt in. But a couple of days of peace and quiet and two adorable kittens was enough to soothe the tension in her lover after their semi-disastrous exit from the Leaf. At least no one had walked in on them after Naruto had.

Still, it was rather nice to be able to take the long way home with Sasuke. It gave Temari time to think about things, about a lot of things. From details like living arrangements and finding furniture for the cats to the bigger questions, Temari found herself thinking about them all. There was one in particular that stuck out in her mind, and all she had to do now was broach the topic.

Shisui paws at Temari's shoulder from his blanket within her pack, so she snorts softly and holds up her arms for the mischievous kitten to crawl into. "These two are starting to get big. We're going to need more room for them soon." She scratches behind the over-sized, mewing kittens ears and receives a rumbling purr in return.

"They're smart. I think they could handle following us and we can carry them when they tire." Sasuke pauses as he considers the question. "Leashes might be more practical, but cats generally don't play as well with those as dogs do."

Temari rolls her eyes. "I didn't mean in our packs, Sasuke. I meant at home. Cats take up a lot of space for such tiny bags of fur."

"Well, if it becomes an issue...I can always buy us a new home or build one." Sasuke nods. Granted, it wasn't something that he had done often. Still, building things largely came down to math, persistence, and to a degree strength to move and manipulate the material. He had all those things. "The Sand has far more space available than the Leaf. Most of the Leaf's excess space is in the Forest of Death."

"You mean we could." Temari wasn't going to refuse to pull her own weight, and she had substantial enough savings. She just had never seen a point before in having more space just for herself. But at the very least he was open to the idea of having a home together. "And I'm sure that my brothers would be relieved to not have to risk walking in on us when they want something from me."

Sasuke walks over to Temari and smiles as he kisses her forehead. "Temari, I really don't mind handling it. I can build or find you whatever you want." It was his instinct. He wasn't naive. Tongues were going to be wagging all over the Five Great Nations and smaller nations once word got out about their relationship. He couldn't shield her from that, but Sasuke could find or build them an exceptional house. "I sense this is a battle that I'm not going to win, though. You're just not going to let me spoil you. You're too proud for that." He wasn't sure whether to be exasperated or amused. Not sure if it's a Sand thing or a Temari thing, really.

Probably both, he muses. Still, Sasuke could figure that out another time. "As much as I'm sure the makeup sex would be fantastic, I'll just compromise. We'll go fifty-fifty on the house." Someone had to give a little. It might as well be him. His pride had already wrecked enough havoc. Temari's stubborn streak was relatively harmless in comparison.

"Oh, is that why you're stubbornly trying to be my knight?" Temari smirks and strides ahead, her hips swaying just enough to be overtly provocative. "You're trying to annoy me so that the sex will be better later?"

"I doubt the sex could get better." Sasuke smirks at her. His hand finding the silken softness of her cheek with ease. "So, no. That's not the reason. You'll laugh, but I suppose it's just ingrained. My Clan was traditional in some respects. You're from the desert. You'll understand the example. We were like lions in a lot of ways, now that I think about it."

Temari chuckles at the comparison. A pride of lions, indeed. "You mean apart from the hair, right?" Temari had been among the first to encounter Madara Uchiha during the war, and though she'd barely escaped with her life, she had to admit that there was something to be said about that mane.

"As far as I know Madara's the only one who grew his hair out that way." Sasuke was half certain it was out of vanity or maybe the man hadn't bothered to cut it because he didn't want to stop training. It would make sense.

"That's not the only reason, though. The men in my Clan usually worked on the Leaf's Military Police Force or combat missions. Most of our women retired from active combat duty when they had children." Sasuke shrugs. His own mother had been a housewife. "It wasn't a rule and they usually pursued other ninja specializations, but it was believed it was smarter to leave a strong defense inside the District. Nothing is more terrifying than a mother defending her child. That's just how it was. The men defended the village as a whole and took care of their families. The women protected the District and the children if an emergency happened."

Sasuke had never questioned it. He'd only been a child and everyone had seemed happy inside the Clan. He'd just been too young and naive to realize that it was the rest of the Leaf that he should have been worried about.

Things were different now. He was in love with Temari. Who in some ways was very similar to the women of his Clan and in others, well she was their complete opposite. It would have been...interesting to see how Temari would have gotten on with his mother and the rest of their family. That was for damn sure.

"I suppose that you have a point." If not quite the one that he was trying to make, but here, Temari could be the one to compromise. "If that's your way of protecting me, then that's fine. I'm a long-distance fighter anyway, and my place in a battle is beside Gaara as a war tactician. If something did happen to threaten the peace we've fought for, then you know where'd I'd be. But you need to understand that Gaara sees the whole village as family, which means that there's not just my own blood to protect." That is what it meant to be the sister to the Kazekage.

Sasuke smiles as he glides his hand over the elegant curve of her neck. "That's fine. I know that helping your brother to protect the Sand Village gives you purpose. You don't put the people you love in cages." He probably sounded ridiculous to her, but Sasuke had to try anyway. That, or Temari would never understand why he was acting this way. "Trying to keep you from your duty as a Sand Ninja and as Gaara's sister would be caging you. It's in my nature to play the part of a knight as you say. I just never bothered doing so before because I didn't care enough to. I was never in love before. That's the difference."

"You're in love, huh?." Temari raises her own hand to cup Sasuke's cheek and smiles with a hint of cheek. "So am I." And before her was a man she had no intention of caging. Not unless he wanted to be tied down.

"Yes, I am. Never really thought I'd fall for a blonde, but life is full of surprises." Sasuke smiles as as he kisses her. "And that's good. So, do you want to keep traveling until we find a village or make camp somewhere?"

"We're getting close to the border, there's an outpost not far from here." Temari knew the geography of this region like the back of her hand. "We can stay there for the night and leave for the village again in the evening."

"Sounds perfect. At least we won't have to deal with the loser's horrible timing." Sasuke rolls his eyes at the thought. How that lovable idiot hadn't gotten killed yet was beyond his understanding. "Lead the way."

"My pleasure." Temari places a teasing kiss on her lover's lips and saunters away before bending at the knee and jumping into the trees.

Sasuke smirks after returning the kiss, before he sprints off after her. He was used to traveling alone or setting the pace. Though there was something to be said for following when it produced such a charming view.

* * *

They'd barely been back in the Sand for longer than a day when Sasuke makes his way to the Kazekage's Office. Alone. Temari had gone off in search of potential prospects. The beautiful blonde was a force of nature when she wanted to be and had insisted upon doing so as soon as possible.

The last Uchiha suspected that was partially because she wanted to surprise him, but Temari was also a tactician. She likely knew that Sasuke was going to broach the topic of them moving together with Gaara once the two of them alone. The ambassador knew the value of 'male bonding time' apparently.

So, here he was, walking up to Gaara's office and debating on how to tell the red head what was going on. "Gaara? Are you here? Temari and I have returned from our mission."

"Come in." The sound of papers shuffling about is one of the very few sounds within the Kazekage's personal office. Paperwork was a beast that seemed to forever remain unconquered.

"The mission was a successful one." Sasuke strides over to Gaara. It was hard to reconcile the image of the red head he still held from when they first met and a respectable Kage who was battling paperwork, but he'd manage it. Eventually. "I came here to brief you and also to let you know that Temari and I are planning on getting our own place."

There. That was one bandage ripped clean off. Gaara would be shocked, but Sasuke doubted the red head would do more than raise some reservations. After all, legally it wasn't like he could stop them and if push came to shove, it was a fight neither of them wanted to have. It'd upset Temari too much.

The Kazekage pauses in the arranging of his paperwork into the appropriate stacks. His aqua gaze finds the dangerous ninja standing before him. Gaara places the last few papers in front of him and laces his fingers together as he scrutinizes the Uchiha. "That's a serious step for someone like you."

"I'd argue it's a serious step for anyone, but I won't deny you're right." Sasuke shrugs. It was only natural that Gaara would be skeptical. Sasuke had never had a sister, but if their roles had been reversed...the last Uchiha doubted he would have let his counterpart near his sibling without one Hell of a fight. The fact Gaara was willing to entertain the idea without starting the conversation off with a 'Sand Coffin' was frankly a miracle unto itself.

"True, but you have adamantly refused to call a place home for years now." Gaara knew how much of a shift it could be to go from feeling no particular emotional connection to a place, to then calling it home. It was not an easy transition, no matter how much of a relief he had personally found it. "Is that something you are ready for? To call the Sand home instead of the Leaf?"

"I am. I like the Sand. It's certainly treated me far better than I deserve, but I would have been fine with a shack in the Forest of Death if it meant I could be with her." Sasuke watches Gaara with equally wary eyes. The red head had every reason to be anxious about this conversation and so did Sasuke, albeit for different reasons. Sasuke because he wanted to be with the love of his life and Gaara because he loved his sister as any proper brother should.

The aqua gaze softens with understanding. "Though not in the same context…I know the feeling." He knew what it was like to want something so much that he would strive for it no matter how hard it might be. "Should I take this to mean that you are putting active duty behind you, or are there other arrangements that you would prefer to have made?"

"I suppose you were right back then. At the Chunin Exams and at the Kage Summit, when you spoke of us being similar. We do understand each other in a way that few can." Perhaps in some ways, Gaara might actually understand him better than Naruto. Naruto had never truly walked in darkness. He and Gaara had though. They knew what it meant to claw their way back into the light. "As for the rest, you're the Kazekage and I will be living in your village. It seems fitting just to take whatever role or roles you assign me." There were few tasks that Sasuke could honestly say he couldn't do. Whether he liked them or not was another matter entirely, but that mattered little to him. He had Temari. Everything else was an afterthought.

"Very well." Gaara slides a blank scroll from a pile on the corner of his desk and retrieve ink and a delicate calligraphy brush. "I will see about having your paperwork sent over and your citizenship arranged." Between the former Lady Hokage and the bubbly blond, Gaara doubted that Sasuke's files would be treated as anything less than top secret and sacred. "After all, if you upset my sister, it will be more convenient to have you within reach of my sand."

"That's heartwarming and all, Gaara. Though I doubt if I upset her, even your sand will be able to find my body." Sasuke snorts as watches Gaara retrieve the necessary items to make his transfer official. "When it comes to raw power, I've got the advantage. That woman is an evil genius though." One that perhaps could have rivaled Itachi when it came to fucking with people's minds...just in a different way. It was a frightening, but true thought.

The tiniest of smirks curls Gaara's lips as his gaze flicks up towards the Uchiha with no small hint of amusement in them. "Yes, she most certainly is. All it seems to have taken her to have you dancing in the palm of her hand is the use of kittens."

"It's more than just kittens, but that's the only reason I can give you without you attempting to Sand Coffin me. So, let's go with the kittens." Sasuke couldn't resist a smirk of his own.

The Uchiha's words wipe the smirk off Gaara's face in an instant. "Yes, I would rather not hear about the other reasons." He'd heard enough of those by accident on those few days he thought to come home from the office early. Perhaps now that they were looking for a place of their own, the mansion might be a little quieter.

"I thought as much. So, have you thought about it?" Sasuke tilts his head curiously. "Finding someone?" After all, if he could find love than anything was possible. Gaara's story was basically Sasuke's in reverse. He'd gone from being the monster that terrified everyone to being the hero. Now, Sasuke was trying to loop back to the beginning of his story, but the red head seemed to be making great strides in his.

"…No, not really." It was not that Gaara didn't understand the appeal of having a family close to you, it was merely that he hadn't found anyone who could capture his attention in that way. The closest he could think of was Naruto, but that was a different sort of bond entirely. "I have the village to look after, for now…that is enough."

"If you wanted, I'm sure you could have that. You love this village and your family. I'm sure that you're capable of other kinds of love." Perhaps this conversation was getting too intimate, though. Sasuke would just have to change that. "It's just as well, though. If your ability to control your sand turns out to be a bloodline, I'm kinda terrified about what your children would be capable of during a temper tantrum." He smirks at the thought.

"It is. It's the Sand Village's Magnet Release." Not that Gaara expected Sasuke to know that. The Uchiha had arrived rather late in the war and hadn't had the chance to properly meet the Fourth Kazekage, his father, in battle. "Father's ability controlled gold dust rather than sand, but my sand operates by the same principles as his gold and independently of having been a jinchuuriki. The Third Kazekage used the same technique with iron sand."

Sasuke tilts his head at that. "If it's a bloodline, do Temari and Kankuro have a version of it as well?" It wasn't something that he had considered.

Gaara shakes his head. "Not as far as we are aware of, no. Wind is Temari's specialty and Kankuro prefers to focus on his puppets. I was the only inheritor of the three of us. It is not a common ability, even among distant relatives, and it manifests itself in two forms. The form I use is significantly rarer than the second." There were, after all, a few users of weapons-based magnetism in the ranks of their jounin.

"Understood." Sasuke nods. Well, the odds were slim. Though there was a chance it might be passed on. An interesting possibility that Sasuke hadn't considered. Not that it particularly mattered. There was probably a greater chance of their children being blonde than inheriting Gaara's bloodline. "I still never understood why Kankuro insists on wearing black and that much warpaint in a damn desert."

Gaara blinks and his gaze traverses Sasuke's black-clothed frame. "The warpaint is a quirk of his. But you did not strike me as one to call the kettle black, Uchiha."

"I'm not wearing a full body suit and I changed my attire. Some." Sasuke shrugs.

"Indeed." Gaara chooses not to retort, as he imagined that his sister had more than he did to say about her lover's fashion choices. "Perhaps Temari will have more luck with you than she did Kankuro."

"That sounds...ominous." Sasuke could scarcely imagine what sort of wardrobe Temari would subject him to.

"It should." Now, Gaara understood Naruto's fascination with 'yanking' the Uchiha's 'chain.' It was quite amusing to see his attempts to conceal his rather visceral reactions. In truth, Gaara knew better than to question Temari's choices in that department. She had, after all, discovered long ago that black and maroon were his colors. "Is there anything else that you would like to address?" He did still have a rather large stack of paperwork to finish by the end of the day so that he could have his allotted three days off.

Well, Gaara was taking everything better than Sasuke could have hoped for. So, he might as well be blunt. "Do you happen to know what size ring Temari wears?"

It seemed that things were moving even more quickly than Gaara had thought. If this were Naruto, Gaara would argue that it was far too early for making such an important decision. But for the Uchiha…this one did not do anything in half-measures, much to the chagrin of the larger world. Gaara forces his own calm and merely rolls open the scroll before him to reveal a blank section. "Six and a half."

"Perfect. It'll fit then." Fate had an interesting sense of humor, Sasuke mused. Temari's ring size was identical to his mother's. "Good luck with the paperwork, Gaara. Hopefully, the sand will protect you from paper cuts."

"It doesn't." It was an unfortunate side-effect of Gaara's sand deeming paper to be harmless. "Watch your step with her, Uchiha. I wouldn't want to find you in three years, mummified out in the desert."

"...Noted." Sadly, Sasuke couldn't entirely tell if Gaara was kidding or not.

The Kazekage gives in to the urge to roll his eyes as he waves the Uchiha out of his office. He had paperwork to see to and letters to send. It appeared that the village would be receiving a new permanent resident. And it just so happened to be the person least likely to ever settle down. Indeed, it seemed that fate had a rather interesting sense of humor.


	11. Chapter 11

Fanning His Flames

 **Silver's Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. Sorry guys. I thought I had posted this chapter, but dropped the ball. In light of that and because we wanted to post the wedding and honeymoon chapters together, there will be a triple update today. Happy reading.

Chapter 11

Slender fingers tap against the side of a teacup as Temari goes over the lists of spaces available for purchase. Some were dirt cheap, literally, whilst others were not. But there was very little that wasn't within the budget of her savings alone. Were they in the Leaf, that would not have been the case. The prices here were among those things that Temari appreciated about the Sand. Unlike the Leaf, there was no need for them to cart around building supplies in this village, they simply carved homes out of the ever-present sandstone in varying degrees of simplicity or artistic sculpture.

The larger and more elaborate abodes were found closer to the oasis in the southern part of the village. It was the preferred neighborhood for their village's few ninja clans. Temari knew better than to think that the two of them could get away with having a small home. Between the cats, Sasuke's affectionate snake summon, and the children that would come, Temari had put some rather particular size requirements on the house. And so, she had narrowed it down to three options that would suit their needs.

So, to choose the one with a rooftop aviary, the one with the balconies, or the one with the home garden…decision, decisions…

"Morning, Lady Temari." Matsuri beams as she makes her way over to the blonde woman. "What have you got there?" It must have been something important for the other ninja to be staring at it so intently.

"Property lists." Temari takes a sip of her tea, her eyes not leaving the papers strewn about the small table for even an instant. Running water was, of course, a must. But that would no longer be an issue once the talks with the Land of Rivers and Land of Earth concluded and they were permitted to carve channels to irrigate the desert with.

She might not be a legendary ninja just yet, but Matsuri was smart enough to read between the lines. "Are you moving in with him?" She knew better than to say such a thing too loud as well. As exciting as such a development was, it wouldn't due to bring unnecessary gossip upon Lady Temari sooner than it was bound to take place. "That's wonderful news!" A million questions swirl in her mind. Matsuri knew she had to ask them or else she would burst, but she could hardly voice them inside a tea shop. "Maybe I can accompany you to look at some of the more promising choices! It doesn't hurt to get a second opinion."

Someone or something out there just refused to allow Temari to shop for a new house in peace, it seemed. "Fine, you can come along. But I warn you, it's not going to be as exciting as mooning over my brother." Why they did it, Temari didn't understand. Gaara was practically married to his work.

"I'm sure that it will be plenty exciting! This is a great honor to help you, Lady Temari. I won't let you down and..." A rosy blush blooms on her face. "I d-don't moon over Lord Gaara." Well, at least she hoped that he hadn't noticed she did. Then again, all the girls did now these days. It was hard to tell whether the regal Kazekage or the mysterious Uchiha captured more attention amongst the women of the Sand these days. Though Sasuke was obviously spoken for, but Gaara hadn't shown interest in well, anyone. Matsuri wasn't sure if that was because he was shy, just busy with important work, didn't know how, or if it was some combination of the other three.

"Yes, you do." It's not as though Matsuri and Yukata's mooning was a great secret. Anyone who looked at them with Gaara standing within two hundred feet of them could see as much. "But if you're really that determined to follow me around, you'd better be able to keep up." Temari sips the last of her tea and rises to her feet as she places a few coins under the cup. This was nothing short of a serious reconnaissance mission and she was going to treat it as such.

"Yes, Lady Temari!" Matsuri salutes her. "Ready when you are."

Oh boy. Temari resists the urge to roll her eyes as she turn from the shop and leaps into the air, chakra pushing her through the jump and onto a solid rooftop. She had memorized the route to the homes from the maps and the first was only a couple of minutes away if she took the roof route. First, she would look at the home with the rooftop aviary. That much would be a practical decision, seeing as she received a great deal of correspondence from other nations.

Matsuri takes off after Temari. Deeming that they were moving quickly enough not to be overheard, she couldn't resist indulging in her questions. "So, you and Sasuke are moving in together? Things must be pretty serious? What's that like? Is he secretly a romantic or is it a match of animalistic passion?" Right. she probably shouldn't have asked that last part. Damn it. She really need to learn when to leave well enough alone, but everyone was curious! Someone had to ask. Might as well be her.

And…there it was, all of the questions that, thus far, Temari had hoped would never arise. Ninjas gossiped worse than old ladies. "Yes, we've made the decision to move in together, so of course our commitment is serious." And while Temari wouldn't deny the passionate side to their relationship, there was only so much that she would say, knowing that the gossip would spread no matter what she did. "As for Sasuke, he's very…sweet, as I'm sure you and Yukata know from the time you spied on him and the kittens."

"Well, he does seem to like animals. That's usually a good sign. You can tell a lot about a man by how he treats animals, you know? Well, that's what I've heard anyway." Matsuri tilts her head as even more questions come bubbling out of her mouth. "Does Lord Gaara know that you two are moving in together?"

"Most likely." Temari's feet touch down on a rooftop in the southern quarter of the village The first of the homes was in plain sight, simple and round on the outside, but with a crown atop it that held the aviary. It was…adequate, but Temari wasn't particularly impressed by it. "He does tend to keep a close eye on Kankuro and I." Oftentimes quite literally. "It wouldn't surprise me if he knew already that I will be moving out of the mansion."

Matsuri nods in understanding. "Well, he wouldn't be a very good Kage if he didn't know what was going on in his own village." She looks at the place and smiles. "Well, it has an aviary. That's nice. Sasuke has a hawk summon...so, it'd definitely be used."

"True, but I think it's too small for the hawk to fit inside comfortably." After all, it was meant for regular sized hawks, not hawks large enough to carry a person. Temari wasn't quite sold on it. "The next one isn't far, it has spiraling balconies that interest me." Ones that would serve well as take-off and landing strips if she decided to fly off on her fan.

"Probably. It is a big hawk. Then again, I guess there's probably nothing small about Sasuke." She shoots her lady a cheeky grin as they venture to the other house.

Temari secretly smirks at the insinuation before turning to Matsuri with a stern glare. "I'm not going to be hearing any gossip speculating about that, am I?"

Matsuri smiles and shakes her head quickly. "Definitely not. Gossip is fun, but that sorta thing is going a bit too far. Sand Villagers can keep secrets!"

Right, for a bunch of ninjas whose job descriptions included keeping secrets, they were notoriously bad at that. Temari knew better than to answer any question to do with Sasuke's size or growing prowess. "And maybe one day I'll actually believe that. The same day that the chunin stop gossiping about scandals going on in the other nations."

She pouts a bit, but nods. "Alright. I guess that was a bit over the line. You can't blame people for being curious, though."

Maybe, maybe not. Either way, Temari would only entertain so much. "Let's see…" She halts once more to consult her mental map, then spots the conical building with sweeping, spiraling balconies wrapped around the outside. It reminded her of the Kazekage's mansion, except for the significant amount of decoration carved into the conical dome. It was nice, she supposed, if a bit larger than she expected. She'd seen pictures of every room within and the layout had seemed adequate. "There's nine bedrooms, a study, a large kitchen and living room…" Hm…but there was just something missing.

"What do you mean? It looks like a dream home." Matsuri smiles at Temari as her eyes survey the place. "Pretty big too considering it's just the two of you."

"It's only too big for now." Temari knew that within a few years, they would probably be well on their way to filling that many bedrooms. The trouble was, it just didn't speak to her. "Alright, there's one more." This one was closer to the oasis, a bit smaller, lower down, and built into the cliffside rather than freestanding. What interested Temari about this prospect was the claim that it had an irrigated garden. If she was going to be off-duty while pregnant, then it would be good for her to have something productive to do with her hands.

"The garden is nice." Matsuri smiles as she look around. "Seems a bit smaller than the last one, but I like it."

"Yes, it's a little smaller." But Temari had seen a few pictures inside this one as well. "Six bedrooms upstairs, a living room, kitchen, and master bedroom downstairs." It was a bit more rugged than the other two, carved into the cliff as it was. But there was a beauty about the red sandstone home, not least of which was the presence of the small terrace garden at the top of the steps leading to the door.

"It's very pretty. Should we have a look inside just to be sure?" Matsuri smiles at her friend.

"Yes, I think that it would be a good idea to see the layout firsthand." Temari already knew she was leaning, but that leaning only grows stronger as she pushes open the door and steps inside. The small entry hall shoots off to a living room on one side and a combined kitchen and dining room on the other. The sandstone walls, wor down and sanded smooth, reach up a good eight feet before sloping into the ceiling. A small hall leads down towards what she assumes is the master bedroom and private bathroom, and a staircase directly opposite the front door leads upstairs to what must be the other bedrooms and bathrooms.

"It's beautiful." Matsuri smiles as she looks around in awe. "Like out of a fairy tale or something."

"I was going to say it looks like it could feature in a magazine." Temari wasn't much one for fairy tales, though she would probably pick a few up during her first pregnancy. Children liked the stories well enough. "But it's…nice." And she and Sasuke could just use the first floor for a while, then start working on the second floor when their first child was due to arrive.

"Definitely." Matsuri nods in agreement as she looks around. "I think this is probably the one?"

"Yes, I think so." This place was…perfect, really. Temari knew that once the trade agreements went through, their village would no longer be hurting for water, and that little garden out front would be an excellent place to grow tomatoes, radishes, and other vegetables more common in the eastern nations.

Matsuri laughs and winks at Temari. "That, and the kittens will have plenty of space to run around."

"That's right, they will." And there was a corner of the living room that Temari could already imagine filled with furniture and toys for their two mischievous cats to play with. Assuming they could convince those two troublemakers to let their two favorite toys have some alone time now and then. "I'll propose this place to Sasuke and see what he thinks."

"I doubt he's going to say no." Matsuri grins at Temari as her eyes sparkle with mischief. "Seems like he's unlikely to tell you no about much of anything, My Lady."

* * *

Sasuke had to say that he was impressed. "You found us a house in the time it took me to talk to Gaara?" That was...efficient. Not only was it a house, but it was a charming one. From what he could tell it was on the larger side by Sand Village Standards and it even had a spot for a garden.

"You forget that I'm a tactician." Temari smirks proudly. "I just narrowed it down first to the area where it would be more likely to find what we need, then looked for properties for sale, then narrowed it down from there based on size and additional features."

He smiles and kisses her. "Guess so. Well, why don't you go and see if you can find the agent and I'll make us dinner?" After all, he did have to set the stage for the proposal. He wasn't going to propose to her over ramen or something. That was just tacky and something Naruto would do.

"Alright, I'll be back soon. It's nice to have a man who can cook." Temari pats Sasuke's cheek and steps past him, a smirk on her face as she gives him a quick swat to the backside. Teasing Sasuke was just such fun.

"Keep that up and I'll forget about the cooking. It'll take awhile for me to remember the formality of us paying for the house and the agent will walk in...to quite the show." Sasuke smirks as he returns the favor. Swat for swat.

"Then I suppose it's a good thing that one of us can think with the right head." Temari saunters across the kitchen and around the corner of the hall, slips on her shoes, and disappears out the front door.

Sasuke shakes his head. It was just as well. He had some preparations to do. Fortunately, the house was already stocked with basic cooking implements, and he had picked up what he needed in the market on the way here. The Sand Village was more practical than the Leaf in that respect.

"Shouldn't take long." He muses as he begins cooking. Sometimes there was something to be said for the classics. A candlelight dinner and a bubble bath seemed best. Sasuke smiles at that thought as he gathers the ingredients with one hand and with his other he palms the small velvet box in his pocket. His mother's wedding ring. He'd give it to her when she came back.

* * *

A mere half hour later, Temari returns to their new home with the money pouch gone and paperwork in hand. She twirls a set of keys around her finger as Shisui and Itachi mill about her ankles, mewing contentedly. "It smells good in here."

"It should. Itachi taught me this recipe." It was a good thing his brother's genius had extended to the culinary arts, otherwise Sasuke knew there was almost no way he could have prepared the meal that fast. "The human Itachi, obviously. Not the kitten." Sasuke smiles at her as he lights the last candle and closes the gap between them.

Temari sets the half signed paperwork in a cubbie carved into the wall, and an eyebrow rises in amusement as she takes in the sight of candles. "Well, it looks like someone is feeling romantic tonight." And it looked like Sasuke was feeling the need to impress as well. A stir fry might seem a simple dish, but she could swear that she smelled seared goat meat within the array of rice and perfectly chopped vegetables.

"You could say that." Sasuke smiles as he takes her hand in his own. "Do you like it?"

"I do." The food smelled positively mouth-watering. Not that Temari would actually let herself start drooling over the food. She snakes a hand up and around the back of Sasuke's neck and her lips curl with amusement. "What's the occasion?"

"You're the occasion. That, and I thought we should celebrate buying our first home together properly." It wasn't a lie. It just wasn't the full truth. It was probably a bit early to ask as of yet. He just needed to wait for the right time. Like Kakashi always said, a ninja waited until the right time to strike. Proposing and battle really wasn't all that different in that respect.

"Oh? Is that so?" Sasuke was up to something and Temari knew it, but she could play along for now. "Then maybe we should make life-changing decisions more often. If your cooking turns out to be any good."

Sasuke snorts at that. "I'm sure you'll find my cooking satisfactory." He playfully pulls her onto the couch and into his lap. "You do love to tease me." Only Temari could turn nearly everything into some sort of battle of wits or battle of strength. Maybe that was part of the attraction. He never really knew what to expect with her.

"I love to do it because you are so easy to tease." Temari knew that as much as Sasuke liked to pretend to be aloof, his emotions ran hot, and there was nothing more entertaining than watching the once cold Uchiha react. It was quite adorable.

"You do have a way of bringing out the best in me and my childish streak." What he was about to do was precisely that, but Temari had started it. "You know that, right?" He smiles as he kisses her. Using the kiss to distract her as he drops something just underneath her shirt. Knowing Temari, curiosity would get the better of her. She'd look. Sasuke knew it.

Temari laughs into the kiss as a small weight rolls into her lap. "Clearly." Her fingers dance along the curve of Sasuke's throat as she pulls back slightly and looks down. …That was a box. That was a very nice box. "Sasuke…" She knew what went into boxes like those. She plucks it from her lap and rolls the box over in the palm of her hand. It weighs…exactly what she would have expected it to. Her lips twitch with amusement. "I thought that it was traditional to ask at the end of a meal, not before the first bite."

"Well, I'll admit to having been a very impatient child." Sasuke smiles at her. "Open it. According to Gaara, it's the right size."

"Of course you asked Gaara for my ring size." Temari knew well what was in that box even before she opened it. But upon opening it, her eyes widen. That was not made in a style she recognized, even from her trips to the Leaf. It looked older, almost. And instead of a diamond, the gem set into the delicate gold was a ruby of the richest red she had ever seen. And engraved into it was the Uchiha crest. If she had to make an educated guess… "Your mother's ring?"

"As you said, you're a tactician for a good reason." Sasuke nods at her as he watches Temari's reaction. "You're right. It was hers and now, if you want it...it's yours. Just like my heart."

His heart, something that once upon a time, she questioned him even having. How foolish she was then… It was dignified, but with a little hidden awkwardness, just like the rest of him. "Well, I do rather like it." Temari slips the ring from the box and slides it onto her finger, testing the fit of it. Perfect. It was even more perfect as she slides herself into Sasuke's lap and winds her arms around Sasuke's neck. Her lips curl into a smirk as she crushes the ghost of a kiss over the Uchiha's lips. "Does this mean you'll marry me, Sasuke Uchiha?"

Sasuke was quite certain it was usually the man who asked such things, but this was Temari. He probably should have expected her to buck convention. "I'm glad you like it and yes, I'll marry you." He'd just go with it. A yes was a yes, even if she technically asked the question first.

Temari laughs and turns that ghost of a kiss into a searing example of her affection against Sasuke's lips. Her fingers twirl into those thick, dark locks and give her move than enough leverage to press the kiss a little deeper.

He was all too happy to return the more passionate nature of the kiss. Things tended not to stay innocent for long when Temari was involved, but Sasuke was just fine with that. "I also prepared a bubble bath for us."

"Oh, that sounds nice." Temari's pulse flutters with anticipation. "Then let's enjoy your excellent cooking, then retreat for the evening. It's been too long since I last indulged in a nice…long…bath." Her hand slips down Sasuke's chest with every word, stopping teasingly just below his navel. "Today is a special occasion, after all."

"A VERY special occasion." Sasuke agrees as he wraps his arms tightly around her waist. "We're celebrating starting our lives together and the restoration of our privacy." At least this way, Naruto and Gaara were a bit less likely to walk in on things they shouldn't be walking in on.

Temari lifts a glass of sake from the table and holds it up as she turns carefully in Sasuke's lap. "To privacy from nosy Kage."

He smiles and returns the toast. "To privacy from nosy Kage and our new home."


	12. Chapter 12

Fanning His Flames

 **Authors' Note:** Thanks for the reviews. We hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 12

Sasuke had never been to a wedding before. He'd never been involved in planning one either, but he knew one thing without a doubt. Their wedding wasn't normal.

"Sai, I swear if you make one more joke about male anatomy, I WILL Chidori you." For some reason that Sasuke could scarcely understand, Naruto had insisted on inviting Sai to help them with the wedding planning and wedding. Something about him being a part of Team Seven, too.

The man's artistic and stealth skills were impressive, Sasuke muses. His mouth was not. Still, it was all for the Greater Good so to speak. He just had to manage not to kill anyone until the wedding was over. Then it would be off to the Honeymoon.

These were the final preparations. The tables and alter were being set up in the oasis by their house. Lots and lots of tables. The wedding of the Kazekage's sister and last Uchiha was big news. Even if they had wanted a smaller wedding, Sasuke doubted it would have been possible. He had to invite Team Seven, Temari her brothers, the other Kages, Daimyos, their bodyguards, the Rookie Nine and Gai's team, and on and on the list went.

It was a bit annoying. All Sasuke cared about was marrying Temari, but he had to go over all these mundane details that were threatening to make his eyes bleed and this time it wasn't from the Amaterasu. No, it was from things like deciding which shade of blue to use for their tablecloths, what script looked most elegant for wedding invitations, choosing between different courses, music, and for some reason the loser was utterly hopeless at wearing anything formal. The idiot had tried to wear an ORANGE male dress kimono to Sasuke's wedding. Naturally, Sasuke had burned it until nothing but ashes existed. There were just things that were just not done and wearing that hideous shade of orange to his wedding was one of them.

"But Sasuke, you look so full of stress that I thought I could ease the tension a little." Sai smiles amiably, even if the expression still has edges of a little too much effort. "You seem to get most worked up and most relaxed around Naruto and Temari, so I thought that some jokes about them might help."

"I think...you're being sincere." That was the disturbing part. Sai genuinely thought that sort of approach was helpful. Gods and Goddesses help them all if Sai had actually been TRYING to piss him off. "So, Temari...is there anything else you wanna go over? The wedding is tomorrow. This is our last real chance for any revisions." He loved the woman with every fiber of his being, but she had changed her mind at least a thousand times today. Was it really that difficult to choose which color tablecloth you wanted?

"Let's see…" Temari's gaze skirts over the view of the tables as the last two were adjusted per her specifications. There was a lot to do to make sure that not even a surprise sandstorm could ruin tomorrow. Or worse, accidentally offend one of the leaders of another nation. "Have we Naruto-proofed the food tables?"

"Temari, I don't think that Naruto-proofing is actually possible. Believe me, I tried. For years." With limited success at best, Sasuke snorts at the thought.

Temari groans softly as she imagines the utter mess that the hyperactive Hokage is liable to make at the dinner. "Then maybe he'll be less likely to upend a table if there's ramen supplied for him." That could keep him distracted, couldn't it?

"Maybe. I'll have some ramen brought in tomorrow morning. He'll whine if it's cold." A whiny Naruto was a louder than usual Naruto in Sasuke's opinion. Which meant bleeding eardrums. Hardly the most romantic way to start a wedding.

"Indeed…" Temari sighs, exhausted with the number of decisions requiring her input, as well as the number of times she had to change those decisions based on new information that people hadn't thought to give her beforehand. As efficient as things were in her village, it was hard to believe that a wedding took more than a few weeks to prepare. "Why couldn't we have just eloped?"

"Because your brother is the Kazekage." Sasuke answers without batting an eye.

"Right, remind me to yell at Gaara later." Temari sighs disparagingly. "Why is it that planning for a wedding is like planning for a battle, but less fun?"

"I figured you were enjoying bossing everyone around." Sasuke smirks. He couldn't help but tease Temari. "Guess I was wrong and we both find the planning dull. It's alright, though. Things will be less boring during the actual ceremony and definitely afterwards."

"Hmph, I enjoy bossing YOU around." Temari turns about to face Sasuke and poke him square on the breastbone. A sly smile curves her lips. "Which I will be doing plenty of tomorrow, I promise."

Sasuke smiles as he pulls her close and kisses her forehead. "It's cute when you think you're in control, but I look forward to it."

"Oh, but aren't I? I did get you to stay, didn't I?" Temari stubbornly refuses to be anything other than smug. "I can get you to do a lot of things you didn't used to."

"Yes, you got me to stay and I'm very glad you did." He smiles and kisses her. "You're also cute when you're smug."

Temari huffs softly. Cute, her ass. She would show him just what a sex goddess she really was after the ceremony in the afternoon.

* * *

The air thrums with the sound of drums as day dawns and excitable guests and onlookers gather around the oasis on rooftops and under cloth tents placed to provide shade. The spicy scent of traditional Sand cuisine hovers about like a cloud. And Naruto was LOVING it. "You know, Sasuke, I don't think I've ever seen a wedding like this in the Leaf."

"That's because this wedding is a Sand Wedding. Different regions have different customs." Sasuke snorts at his best friend. "How on Earth are you Hokage again?" This was basic stuff. An Academy student could have known this much. Though he was probably being too hard on the blond. Even he was a little dazzled by the exotic flavor of the wedding. Not that Sasuke was ever going to admit that out loud.

"I'm Hokage cause I'm awesome!" Naruto tosses the retort at his friend, but without any real heat to it. "I still can't believe you two are getting married. I mean…YOU'RE getting married."

"You're still a loser. Kage or not." Sasuke rolls his eyes at his friend's childish display of confidence. "And I still can't believe it either sometimes."

"But it's a good thing, ya know?" Naruto clasps his hands behind his head with a bright grin on his face, if a little wistful in his expression. "Now you can get started on that clan restoration you promised back when we were kids…you'll have a family again. Apart from us, I mean."

"Naruto, I know it's a good thing or else I wouldn't have asked her to marry me." He raises an eyebrow. Shouldn't that have been obvious? "You're right, though. You are my family, but it's going to be awhile before you can even attempt to corrupt our children's fashion and dietary habits. She wants to wait." Sasuke would respect that.

"Yeah, but that's okay, I mean, then you'll have time to get used to being married before you end up with like ten kids." Naruto was just guessing, but for Sasuke, ten sounded just about right.

Sasuke nods. "Temari estimates seven or eight." He wasn't entirely sure what her view on twins or triplets was. Though Sasuke suspected he'd be lucky to survive a Temari who was pregnant with triplets. Twins was probably safer. Maybe. "Anyway, I'm glad you're here. Even if you are an idiot."

"Bastard." Naruto laughs and presses an elbow into Sasuke's side. "Come on, you're doing that hand-tying thing over by that stone pillar with the old writing on it, aren't you?"

"Hand-tying thing?" Sasuke scoffs at the less than elegant description. "Really? Never mind. You're right. Let's go." He walks with his Best Man at his side.

"What? In the Leaf, we drink sake out of sacred cups at weddings." Naruto couldn't help it that things were different here. But there was definitely something special about looking up at that stone pillar with ancient writing carved into it. He wondered if anyone even spoke that language anymore.

"Just try to go with it." Sasuke shakes his head as his eyes scan his surroundings for any sight of his bride.

The milling guests gather about as the sounds of the drums grow steadily louder and just a touch faster. Despite the usually sepia colors of the village, banners of every vibrant color hang from windows and balconies, showering the world in a swath of rainbows. And down the path through the village opposite the oasis, walk two figures, one in the white robes of the Kazekage, the other in a gown of vivid red silk with spider lilies in her blonde hair.

Sasuke wasn't sure if Sand women just bucked the traditional white gown or if Temari had decided to make some kind of statement. Whatever the reason for her choice, there was no denying that it flattered her. So did the spider lilies. "Beautiful."

As she approaches, her steps in time with the beating of the drums, the complex whirling and curving lines across Temari's skin become visible. And with every step she takes, the sun shines clearly off her pale skin. Her teal eyes glimmer fiercely as her gaze falls onto the man wearing the dark kimono.

Sasuke smiles as he watches her. In that moment, it truly seemed as if time itself had stopped and they were the only two people there.

The sound of the drums begins to fade slightly, but remains ever present as flutes toot away, and the twang of large-bodied string instruments join in the celebration. The Kazekage shares a last look with his sister before slowing his steps and releasing her to her fiance.

Temari smiles proudly as she steps up to Sasuke, the red silk fluttering around her form. Her voice drops to an amused whisper as she presses a kiss to his cheek. "Pick up your jaw, Sasuke. You can be in awe of me later."

"I suppose that's true. It's not like you're going to leave the bed anytime soon after all this." Sasuke smirks right back at her.

"Is that a challenge, Sasuke?" It sure sounded like one, and Temari was always on to rise to a challenge.

"Of course, it is. Though I'm not counting other indoor locations used for the same activities." He smirks, knowing it was best to close up all loopoles when dealing with a tactical genius of a wife.

"I see…" Temari's eyes twinkle with mirth as she nips Sasuke's ear. "Now, remember what I told you about fidgeting. Once we've said our vows and Gaara starts wrapping the ribbon, try not to squirm or it won't be neat and tidy."

"Uchihas do not fidget." He scoffs as he shivers at the nip.

"Good." Temari takes a step back and takes a moment to enjoy the reaction a simple touch could elicit from her lover.

"Sasuke and Temari have elected to recite vows to one another instead of the traditional words." Gaara's aqua eyes glance at the crowd. "I doubt there will be any objections to this unless someone wishes to meet their ancestors today in person either by Sasuke's or my sister's hand and to be quite honest, I'm not entirely certain which is the more terrifying prospect."

Sasuke nods as he watches Temari. He could feel the eyes of everyone in attendance on him, but it was an afterthought. Temari was right. He was in awe of her. "I've always been better at expressing myself through actions than words, but as I'd rather not scandalize either of your brothers today, I'll try to find the words."

This was going be difficult. "When we first met, I barely saw you or anyone else. I wanted revenge more than anything. I'm glad that we met again. Gaara was right. When one has lived in darkness for so long, even a flicker of light is noticeable. You're more than that, though. To me, you shine as brightly as the Sun. You're probably the only woman who would ever dare to challenge me and the only woman that I've ever loved who wasn't family. And despite all common sense, you've decided that you love me in return and agreed to marry me."

Sasuke promptly ignores some of the helpful cries of encouragement from Aoda and even Garuda in the crowd. Yes, his Summons were attending the wedding. Shockingly enough, most people weren't terrified about that. Many of their guests were ninjas and the ones who weren't, well their eyes were glued on the happy couple and Kazkeage. "You gave me something that I've been looking for since I was seven. A home and love without conditions. You didn't try to change me and for that, I'll do my best to do the same for you. Even if you do drive me half crazy..." He smiles at Temari. "I love you."

What had once been a radiant smile on Temari's face grew into a smirk with every word that poured from Sasuke's mouth. "Well, how would I entertain myself if I couldn't drive you crazy?" Her quick tongue nets her a few snickers from the gathered guests, including from the blond standing just out of Chidori's reach from Sasuke.

Temari's henna-tattooed hands slide forward and her fingers entwine themselves with Sasuke's. "It's funny, when you first dropped by our village, I could see that you were hurting and I wanted to help. There are no strangers to regret and darkness in my family, but even when you were at your darkest, there was still something there worth reaching out for. When you chose to throw that darkness away, I wanted to see you reach for light and happiness for yourself. So I extended my hand, and instead of giving you the help I expected, I found a flame of passion to fan amidst the smouldering embers."

She takes a half-step closer to Sasuke, leaving only inches of space between the two of them. "I will love and care for that flame, and for all future flames our love will bring."

Gaara coughs uncomfortably. "I could have lived without hearing about the details of those passionate flames. In any case, this ribbon symbolizes your choice to tie themselves together and the water symbolizes life and weathering any storm together." Gaara winds a white silk ribbon around their hands and slowly pours a goblet of water over it. "You may kiss the bride."

"Or the groom." Temari smirks and lifts her free hand to the back of Sasuke's head and pulls him in for a fiery kiss.

Sasuke blinks as he returns the kiss. He probably should have expected Temari to do the unexpected, but he wasn't about to complain. No, he deepens the kiss much to the crowd's delight.

Not far from the happy couple, Naruto laughs as brightly as he grins. "Go Sasuke!" There it was, his best friend was married. To a blonde with a bigger temper than even Sakura.

Sasuke makes a rather rude gesture with his finger at Naruto before ending the kiss. "You're always full of surprises. I wonder if you'll actually do something as traditional as throwing the bouquet at this rate."

Temari laughs and brandishes a small bouquet of spider lilies, just like those woven into her hair. "That's the one new tradition that our younger generation likes, so yes. I wouldn't want to deprive them of the chance to have their cat fight somewhere away from the feasting tables."

"Yep. Away from the feasting tables would be good." Sasuke smirks and shakes his head. "I'm glad I'm not a single woman at a wedding."

Another laugh bubbles up from Temari's chest. "Yes, me too." She twirls the bouquet about and spies the largest gaggle of women safely away from the tables. "Catch!" She tosses the bouquet a good twenty feet into the air over the crowd and into the writhing mass of over-excited wedding guests.

"I think they're worse than Madara, Orochimaru, Danzo, and Deidara combined." Sasuke stares in awe at the savagery.

"I suppose you would know, you fought all of them. On your own, I might add." Temari huffs softly. "I'm not going to have to listen to reports about you going off and dealing with any more top-ranked criminals all by yourself, am I? Because I do work in intelligence. If you do, I'll know."

"Yes, I would know. I did fight them and the world is better off without them." It was eerie going up against Madara in particular. Sasuke could have become him all too easily. "As for the rest, you don't have to worry. There's no one left who poses even a slight threat to me other than Naruto and he's well, Naruto." Sasuke shrugs.

"I suppose that you're right. But even the most powerful can be brought down if the element of surprise is used against them." Temari saw that moment when Madara's own supposed ally turned on him and brought about his doom. "All I want is for you to be safe. Otherwise I'll put a tracking ninjutsu on you and send Shisui and Itachi to drag you home like the fearsome ninja kittens they are."

"Yes, I suppose even I'm no match for Itachi and Shisui." He gives her a wry smile. "I'll be careful. I have something that I didn't have before. A future. I have you."

"Yes, you do." Temari leans into Sasuke's embrace and presses a kiss to his lips. "Now come on, let's join everyone and eat. There's plenty of food to be eaten before someone tries to start a food fight."

He smiles and returns the kiss. "You're right. I suppose it'd be a shame not to at least try some of it." Sasuke leads her off towards the exotic feast.

Temari chuckles with amusement as she spots Naruto already hard at work cutting up the large wedding cake put together by a number of the Leaf's bakers. "And here I thought you didn't like sweet things, Sasuke."

"I usually don't, but once in a great while I make an exception." He slaps her backside playfully.

"Oh, that's good to hear." And Temari was going to make sure Sasuke paid for that smack later. But first, she innocently reaches for a piece of the cake, before not so innocently shoving it square in the middle of Sasuke's face. "Is it sweet enough, then?"

"Hmm. I don't know." He swallows a bite before doing the same to her. "What do you think?"

Temari swipes some of the icing from her cheeks and licks it from her thumb. "Hm…yes, I'd say that's sweet enough. Almost as sweet as you are."

"I love you, but I question your sanity sometimes. First, you marry me and now, you're claiming I'm sweet." He chuckles.

"I'm a ninja, a certain amount of insanity is required." Temari knew well that no one in their right mind would choose this profession, but it was their life, and they just had to make the best of it.


	13. Chapter 13

Fanning His Flames

 **Silver's Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. We hope you enjoy this chapter. We'll be wrapping up this story next chapter with an epilogue. Happy reading.

Chapter 13

Temari was entirely certain that if Sasuke had his way, the two of them would already be halfway to the Land of Tea by now where no one would be able to bother them for the next three weeks. As it was, Temari wasn't nearly that patient. Besides, who needed an exotic location when they had a brand new house that still needed breaking in?

The smells and sounds of the wedding by the oasis fade while the newly wedded couple escapes from the chaotic attention of the gathered guests. Sauntering to the top of the steps, Temari smirks and sways her hips teasingly as she pushes open the door to their home. If someone had told her three years ago after the war ended that she would be marrying Sasuke Uchiha, she would have hit them upside the head with her fan until they started making sense again.

As it was, she rather enjoyed the way she could feel her husband's gaze following her every step.

"You're probably the bravest woman that I've ever met." Faster than one could blink, Sasuke pins her to he wall as soon as they were inside the house and nips at her ear. "You had to know there would be consequences to teasing me. Swaying your hips like that."

It was amazing really. Sasuke had never really given much thought to hips in general before their relationship started. As long as they served their purpose and weren't broken, why would he? Though now, he was fully aware of what Temari could do with those hips and they had his full attention. For now. He was certain that his attention would be distracted soon enough. Just as soon as he got her out of that silky red dress that was more sashes than actual skirts.

"I'll take that as a compliment." Temari slips a hand from Sasuke's grip and tugs at the sashes that made up the skirt of the dress. Her fingers work behind her back to where clasps held the dress shut and kept it from falling apart. After living in a desert for so long, her people knew well how to make clothes that could both protect from the sun and allow the winds to cool them, as well as be conveniently removed when needed. "After all, I know how much you like watching them."

"Of course, I do. I love watching you." He blazes a trail of kisses down her ear and her jaw, working his way towards the elegant curve of her neck. "I love touch touching you more, though."

It would have been almost impossible not to be entranced by watching her. Somehow she made the simple act of merely beginning to undressed undeniably erotic. Had things been different, Sasuke wasn't entirely that he wouldn't have fallen for her feminine charms on a mission.

 **Warning Lemon**

The clasps fall open one by one, baring her shoulders to the air made cooler by the breeze that traversed the oasis and swept in through the windows of their home. "I've noticed." She allows the fabric to fall down from her shoulders and down to her waist with nothing but the pressure of Sasuke's body keeping it from falling any further, then she unties the sash belt that once kept the other portions of the skirt in place.

He rolls his eyes playfully at her, but that doesn't last long as they roam her body with undisguised appreciation. "And here I thought I was being so clever at hiding that fact by marrying you." Sasuke gives her backside a daring smack.

A tiny noise of embarrassed indignation escapes unbidden from Temari's lips as the sashes and skirts fall from her hips, revealing smooth, peachy skin tinted pink by the sun's warmth. But she merely raises an eyebrow as her free fingers slip into the folds of Sasuke's kimono, the silly dark blue kimono that must have been far too hot for this sort of ceremony. "If you thought that hiding the obvious from me was easy, think again."

"I suppose it is HARD to hide the obvious from you." He bites down lightly on her neck before leaving a possessive lovebite. The dark purple hue contrasting perfectly in his mind against her skin as he presses against her. True he was still wearing his kimono, but the evidence of his desire from her was easy enough to feel even with that obstacle in the way. "So, I'll give you ten seconds to choose a location or I'll just have to test out how durable these walls really are." His words were more a growl than anything at this point, but Sasuke knew he was coherent enough. His vision was already tinted in a ruby red hue. He hadn't liked about loving to watch her and to touch her.

Oh, and what a choice of locations they had. Temari almost couldn't decide. But… "I think that we should take advantage of the good weather and see if the lounging rugs I set out back are as comfortable as I think they are." It was one of the surprise features of the house that Temari was rather pleased about. Especially the sloping overhang where curtains could be hung to keep pesky onlookers from sneaking a peek at a loving couple who wanted some privacy.

"I'm fortunate to be married to a strategic genius." He smirks before he Flickers them off to the destination of her choice. "It does look comfortable." Sasuke smiles as he gently lays the goddess in his arms down on a particularly silky looking rug.

"Yes, I thought so, too." And it was as comfortable as she'd hoped it would be against her naked skin. "Are you going to join me, or are you going to sit there and be eye candy?"

"Who says I can't do both?" He smirks as he swiftly joins her on the rug as he shifts her onto her hands and knees. "I'm really glad that everyone is so distracted by the wedding." His hands roam over the inviting curves of her breasts, toned stomach, and across those wonderfully wicked hips of hers. "Means I'm the only one who gets to hear those sexy moans of yours."

"You're going to have to earn them." Because Temari would never let herself be accused of being easy. She twists below him and leans up to press a kiss to his lips. Her hands snake into his kimono, pulling open the open and pushing the edges of the collar down over his shoulders.

Sasuke returns the kiss, eagerly devouring her sweet mouth as he caresses her breasts. The caresses soon morph into possessive squeezes though. "I don't mind that." He breaks the kiss long enough to promise her before taking a nipple between his teeth and sucking on it with his hot mouth.

Temari sighs and runs her fingers through Sasuke's soft, spiky hair. "How anyone ever managed to be afraid of you is a mystery. You're such a sweetheart." So eager to please, and so cutely possessive too.

He raises an eyebrow at that in disbelief. A sweetheart? Temari definitely lived in her own world. He had no idea what actually went on there. "Something to do with me being the second coming of Madara." He lavishes the sensitive nipple with his tongue, teeth, and lips while fondling her other breast. Eventually snaking the other hand over her stomach and slipping between her thighs to cup her womanhood.

A long, breathy moan passes Temari's lips. "Mmm…you'll see that I'm right one day." But he could definitely keep doing that. She pulls a couple of pillows over and presses them under her hips to prop them up comfortably. Then her free hand joins the first in pulling the kimono away from Sasuke's skin and tossing it aside in a messy heap.

"You're the sweet one." He looks at her with lidded eyes as he buries his head between her powerful thighs. "Not me." Well, at least she was in one respect, Sasuke observes as he begins teasing her most sensitive spot with his tongue.

"Sasuke!" Temari squeezes her thighs in surprise. Her lover, her husband, could be such a brat sometimes. What a wicked tongue he had. Her fingers twirl themselves back into his hair and she slowly relaxes her thighs. A soft sheen of sweat shimmers on the surface of her skin.

There was something addictive about hearing her moan his name like that. Sasuke brushes his thumb over her clit as he licks her harder and faster. "As I said, I'm the the only one who gets to hear your moans." It set his blood on fire in the best way possible as his other hand grabs her ass to hold her in place while he teases her with the seductive kiss.

It was hard. Part of Temari wanted Sasuke to just sit up and throw off those pesky pants of his. But the other part of her wanted him to never move from that spot, ever. Oh…the decisions that her life was reduced to. "Sasuke…" She's successful, she thinks, in turning her moan into a seductive purr.

"Don't worry. I won't make you wait long. Just until you beg." He pulls away from her just long enough to create space two slide two fingers inside her. She was already as wet as an ocean.

Temari arches into his touch and quiet, restrained moans falling from her lips as a gentle breeze breaks through the curtains and dances across her overheated skin.

"You really shouldn't try to hold back. I take that as a challenge and you know that I'm stubborn." He smirks as he summons a minor version of his Chidori in his fingertips. Just enough to cause his chakra to flow and act as a sensual massager.

Sparks of lightning tickle her insides, pressing deeply into the sensitive bundles of nerves dotting the place between her thighs. The tingling heated knot threatening to pull too tight snaps and a wash of heat floods her veins as she muffles a cry of her lover's name.

"Your mind is definitely stubborn, but your body doesn't lie." Sasuke smirks. It was unlikely that she'd ever actually beg, but it was fun to try to coax it out of her. "Do you have any idea how perfect you look when you cum?" He captures her lips in a searing kiss before throwing her legs over his shoulders and replacing his fingers with something far bigger.

Her sudden moan is swallowed by the kiss, but Temari's legs squeeze slightly as her back arches over the pillows stacked beneath her. She shivers as she tastes herself on Sasuke's tongue. But she didn't mind his dirty mouth. After all, it bound to only get dirtier if he spent enough time listening to her flirting methods.

Sasuke groans as two becomes one. He doesn't bother to hold back as he buries himself inside his lover repeatedly. Angling his thrusts to hit the spot that he had memorized. The one that made her scream the loudest.

"Mm…yes! Sasuke!" Temari's voice escapes around the edges of their kiss as she pants heavily, gasping down the air escaping far too quickly from her lungs. The pleasure searing through her brought on almost a lightheaded feeling, but still she rolls her hips up to meet Sasuke's, sinking him in a little deeper, then a little more…

"Fuck!" How did she manage to make euphoria feel even better? Sasuke still didn't know. All he knew was that his goddess was bathed in the red of his Sharingan and he was moving faster. Lost completely to animalistic instinct.

Not quite as lost within the rhythm, Temari relaxes her legs. And with a careful sliding of her calves over the sides of Sasuke's arms, Temari times the thrusts and rolls them over, not breaking the rhythm once as she rolls her hips and presses her new husband down into the plush rug beneath them. Her blonde hair bounces about her shoulders, a crushed spider lily falling from it as she takes control and rides with all of the hasty pace that Sasuke had set.

"Temari!" How the hell did she do that? Never mind. Sasuke would figure that out later. He didn't dare stop for now for fear of losing the enthralling sensation that their coupling always brought him.

"Sasuke…" Temari squeezes her lover tightly within her, her veins rushing with that rush of pleasure that was becoming oh so familiar ever since taking Sasuke into her bed. And despite the sudden boneless feeling of her knees and ankles, she braces herself and rides out her…third orgasm? It had gotten kind of hazy for a bit. But no matter the haze, her blue eyes glitter with with the love that she would only admit to when she was feeling particularly sappy. Which, with Sasuke, turned out to be quite often. And gently, oh so gently, she leans down to kiss her love laying over the strewn about pillows.

He returns the kiss as he wraps his arms around her more tightly. Not tight enough to crush the beautiful vixen that he had trapped or perhaps she had trapped him, he wasn't quite sure. Sasuke didn't care. All he knew was that he couldn't hold back anymore. "I love you." His own release struck him as if it was a sensual tsunami.

A gentle smile curves Temari's lips as she ghosts her lips along his once more. "I love you too."

 **End of Lemon**

* * *

Light, translucent blue silk swirls around Temari's hips as she returns from the kitchen with a platter of finger foods. There was nothing more amusing than watching Sasuke sleep. If anyone tried to get him up before noon when he didn't need to be up…the glare he'd shoot was incredibly cute. It was funny to see that he didn't change, even during their honeymoon.

She rests the platter on a nearby stack of pillows, then crouches down to lounge next to her sweet lover. Temari strokes her fingers through Sasuke's messy raven hair and smiles. "Sasuke…it's time for lunch."

At first, he grumbles. That was until his nose twitches and he realizes just who was playing with his hair. Then he smiles. "I'd say morning, but considering it's lunch time...it probably isn't anymore."

"Oh, there's still a few minutes left." Temari chuckles softly and presses a kiss to Sasuke's forehead. "But it looks like I'll always be the earlier riser."

"Probably explains why you're a blonde. Your hair just matched your preferred time of day." Sasuke smirks as he slowly gets up. "This looks great." Breakfast in bed. He hadn't expected to ever get that luxury. Well at least not from anyone that he'd actually trust enough to eat what they prepared for him anyway.

A sly smile pulls at Temari's lips. "I was hungry. I thought you might want something as well." And of course it was cute to see Sasuke's reaction to being doted on. Surprise was a good look on him. "You've been working pretty hard since the wedding, after all."

"I wouldn't call THAT work, but I suppose it's by far the most...enjoyable stamina training that I've come across." Sasuke smirks as he bites into one of the sandwiches.

"I would hope so." Temari laughs and picks at a skewer of roasted meat and slowly sucks the end of it into her mouth. Then she tears the piece away, savoring it slowly. Her observations now were telling her one thing. "You like a little bit of pampering, don't you?" After all, pampering didn't have to be a one-way street.

"I could get used to it." Sasuke smiles at her and kisses her cheek. Half convinced this was all nothing more than a dream.

"Good, I was worried for a little while that I'd have to drag you kicking and screaming into settling down." Not too long ago, Sasuke had seemed so resistant to the idea. Or maybe like the idea was just a far away possibility. But Temari was glad to see that wasn't actually the case. "How are you feeling?" They had been in the honeymoon haze for a while now, everything outside of their little world was a bit fuzzy.

He tilts his head at the question. "I'm in the middle of an afterglow, after a good night's sleep, and I've got breakfast in bed. Do you really have to ask that question?" The Uchiha's lips curl into a self-satisfied smirk.

"I suppose not, but it's always nice to see you happy." Temari settles herself in the nest of pillows and sheets, content in her husband's presence. "You look best with a smirk on your face."

"Well, you give me plenty of reasons to smirk." He wraps his arms around her and kisses the top of her head.

"Good." Temari sighs softly and closes her eyes for a moment. "Then I suppose this means I should give you reason to do it more often." And she would have plenty of chances to do that now. "I think I would have taken more of an interest when we were kids if you'd been smirking when we met, instead of glaring at my brother."

"It's probably just as well. I was already set on my path." Sasuke knew that he likely would have ignored any attempts at flirtation. If he didn't outright ignore her, he wouldn't have really known how to respond. He was used to girls giving him sweets he didn't give a damn about, giggling, complimenting him, and generally stalking him when he showed no interest.

"Though in hindsight, it would have been amusing to see how you tried to garner my attention back then. Back before your feminine charms were so finely honed." After all, they had been so young Kissing and handholding was the most likely outcome of any 'relationship' back then. That, and going on stupid 'dates' to the Ramen Shop or whatever Genin and Chunin did with each other when not on missions.

"I would probably have teased you and gotten annoyed with you and maybe threatened you with my fan once or twice." An amused smirk curls Temari's lips. True, it was before she had started honing those charms for missions, but still, she had interesting natural charms of her own, she knew that much.

"Back then, if you were lucky I would have set your fan on fire for such an offense." Sasuke shakes his head as the scenario unfolds in his mind. "If you weren't lucky, well Gaara would have had another reason to try to kill me."

"You say that like you think you would have beaten me."Temari finishes the food in her hand, then tosses the stick aside and rolls them over to straddle her husband''s hips. "I think you overestimate yourself."

"I let you win now because I like the results." He chuckles as he looks up at her. "You wouldn't have had that advantage back then."

"Oh, I wouldn't have needed that advantage. I had at least six times your experience then." Temari knew that she could have beaten him, his newly learned Chidori wouldn't have stood a chance once she figured out how to counter it. Wind beat lightning, after all. Still, it amused her to see Sasuke defending his skills and his pride. "But I have to admit that I prefer this sort of winning."

He raises an eyebrow. "I've got to give you this much, you're definitely the most confident woman that I've ever met." She wouldn't have beaten him. Experience or not. He was sure of it. "You're not the only one capable of strategy, but I do prefer this as well." Sasuke kisses her.

Temari chuckles into the kiss. Ah, how she loved this former angsty brat. It seemed like the ones with all the issues turned out to be best men after all. Or the worst, but Temari was rather glad that she'd hit on the former than the latter. "You know that you should really try to eat something first." Because there was no doubt where this little debate was going to go, again.

"I did. I ate a sandwich." Sasuke shrugs after breaking the kiss. "Believe me, I've made do with less."

Perhaps, but now he didn't have to. "Alright." Temari rolls her eyes playfully. "Then we'll finish the food a little later, shall we?"

Or a lot later. "Deal." Sasuke smirks as he flips them over and pins the busty blonde underneath him.

A chuckle of excitement and amusement falls from Temari's lips. It looked to be another good day. And maybe they'd take a few more. Her brother surely wouldn't mind, he didn't need them unless the world was ending again. And their world wasn't ending now. But it was definitely beginning.


	14. Chapter 14

Fanning His Flames

 **Authors' Note: Thanks for the reviews.** We hope you enjoy the grand finale of _**Fanning His Flames.**_ Oh, and if you're interested feel free to check out our other collaborations or solo works. Happy reading.

Chapter 14

Had it already been fifteen years since their wedding? According to the calendar, it had. Though it had all flown by in the blink of an eye.

Of course, there were other ways of measuring the years that had gone by. If Sasuke's mind couldn't quite process how quickly the sands of time were sliding through all their fingers, the fact their eldest child was graduating the Academy today would have done it.

She wasn't alone, of course. A couple dozen classmates had graduated with the feisty blonde who in some ways was the perfect blend of both her parents and yet, still managed to be uniquely...Kana. She was however, towards the end of the line. Damn alphabetical order could be annoying sometimes.

"Your sister is going to be called next." Sasuke smiles down at two of their youngest children. Yuuma and Daiki were still too young to even be enrolled in the Academy yet, but they wanted to be there for Kana's graduation. They also both thought that his back and shoulders were prime real estate. Some things, never changed, Sasuke mused. In another lifetime, he had once been the same way with Itachi. "So, let's get you a better view." He swiftly hoists the three-year-olds onto their respective favorite shoulder with Yuuma taking the left and Daiki the right. Why they had favorite shoulders, Sasuke would never understand. A shoulder was a shoulder, but he digressed.

"Whee!" Daiki squirms happily as he sits up and stares out over the crowd. "Kana!" He raises his tiny hand and points towards the gathered students. There were so many, and so cool!

"Will we be ninja too, Daddy?" Yuuma's fingers curl into his father's hair as he stares out across the crowd with wide eyes. "Like Sissy?"

Sasuke smiles. He was half tempted to grow his hair out longer like Madara's. Just so Yuuma and Daiki would have a 'blanket' of sorts. "Yes, you will. In a couple years, you two will start the Academy. Just like all your other brothers and sisters."

Gaara was presenting the headbands. The red head smiles half in exasperation and half with pride. "Kana Uchiha." Probably because he knew what was going to happen next, Sasuke muses.

Well, perhaps not exactly what would happen next, but Sasuke knew that Gaara knew Kana well enough to realize that she would pull something. She'd inherited her mother's blonde hair, fashion sense, and feisty nature. Gods and Goddesses help him, but Sasuke was pretty sure she was also well on her way to inheriting her mother's figure as well. He was going to have to terrify every preteen and teenage boy in the Five Nations soon, but that was a matter for another day.

"I'm here, Uncle Kazekage!" Kana smiles as she Flickers into his view. While she had Temari's hair, her facial features were distinctly Uchiha. Her eyes were identical to Sasuke's. Or should he say Itachi's thanks to the transplant? She'd also inherited his ivory white skin...something that never failed to amuse the Loser since Kana lived in a desert. Oh and of course his fire affinity.

"I love her, but she's just as much a show off as her mother." Sasuke chuckles as their other children watch the spectacle in awe. Some of them clapping, other's laughing, and giggling. Well, eventually they'd outgrow the giggles. Maybe. They were still young. There was still time. Sasuke at least hoped his sons would outgrow it anyway. That could get awkward and wonderful, he was on another parental tangent inside his head again.

"I wish you'd choose to address me either formally or informally instead of this strange mixture. Was it really necessary to Fire Flicker in front of everyone when you were only ten feet away?" Gaara shakes his head as he places the headband on her. "Never mind. I already know the answer to that." His eyes lock on Temari. "She's just like her mother."

Temari chuckles at the spectacle as she holds their youngest in her arms. "He says that like it's a bad thing to have a little dramatic flair." They'd only managed to bring the three youngest along to the ceremony, though only because their older siblings were too quick to be caught and had disappeared to go play hours ago. Not that she could blame them, of course. It was hard for kids to sit still.

But she was incredibly proud of her eldest daughter. And one day, Nozomi was probably going to follow in her elder sister's footsteps and become a great kunoichi. Of course, that did mean that she was going to need to grow out of toddling around and wearing diapers. But that could wait. For now, Temari was content with carrying about their smallest toddler in her arms. She looked so much like Sasuke, all except for the soft teal of her eyes. Their boys, though, apart from the dark raven hair they both sported, the rest of them was all her. Not that it was going to stop any of them from growing up destined to break hearts left and right.

"It does take some getting used to, but such things do have a way of making life more interesting." Sasuke kisses her cheek. He couldn't help, but smirk at the look on the boys' face. "Believe me, you'll want to kiss a beautiful woman someday." It had taken Sasuke awhile to focus on anything other than his ill fated quest for revenge, but eventually...well, he had eight children with Temari. The math spoke for itself.

"Daddy kissed Mommy." Yuuma burrows his red-cheeked face into his papa's hair as his littlest sister waves her little fists and coos.

"So gross!" Despite his daddy's words, Daiki makes a face. His big brothers had told him about all the girls that tried to kiss them. It was gross and kinda scary. But his Mommy and Daddy liked it and he didn't understand why. It was so weird.

Kana laughs as she bows to Gaara before bounding over to her family. "I'm finally official!" She twirls around and shows off her headband proudly.

"Yes, you're officially a ninja now." Though she was, as Temari was rather proud to say, at least at the level of a chunin already. After all, having two geniuses for parents gave one a leg up on the competition when it came to her exams. Kana hadn't gotten less than a ninety percent score on a single exam, and she never failed any of the practical tests either. Her academic record was as impressive as Temari's own. "Do you know what that means?"

"Uh huh. Papa's going to teach me how to Summon Aoda and Garuda." She beams at her mother. "That way, Minato can stop bragging that he has a Summon and I don't. Besides, hawks and snakes are cooler than toads. They're kinda gross, but I guess they get the job done."

Sasuke wasn't sure whether to smirk at his daughter's assessment or roll his eyes at the fact Naruto had already taught his son how to summon giant toads. "Well, that's one small part of being a ninja, but accurate." He was fairly certain Temari had something else in mind, but it was Kana's graduation and if that was what she wanted to focus on...let her.

Temari sighs and shakes her head. "Yes, because you picked a bird and a snake over being able to summon a giant weasel." Why was it that Kamatari got no love from her children? He wasn't THAT scary. In fact, he was downright adorable.

"Kamatari is cute and all, but I think Ren wants him." Kana shrugs, trying to feign a sense of casualness. Sasuke knew that move. His daughter was hopeful that she hadn't really hurt Temari's feelings, but wouldn't say as much.

"But no, remember that you're going to get assigned to a team soon, which means that you'll have to learn how to get along with your teammates, no matter how annoying they might be."

"Yes, I know that teamwork is important. Never mind the fact that Papa tried to kill most of his teammates multiple times." She giggles. "I'll try to play nicely."

Teal eyes gleam with mischief. "Yes, and I've met every single one of them. Only one hasn't made me want to smack them at some point." Temari's gaze travels over to her own brothers. "And of course, I'm the one who got stuck with siblings for teammates."

"What exactly is that supposed to mean?" Kankuro and Gaara both shoot Temari incredulous glances.

"Just that I love you both, but sometimes we could have done with a few less opportunities to express that." Especially when Gaara was still not in his right mind. But those days were long past now. "No one wants to be exposed to their siblings all hours of the day once they hit puberty."

"You'll find out what that is when you're older." Sasuke sighs. Already knowing that their younger children would want to know what puberty was. Fortunately, they'd already had that talk with Kana. So that was one awkward conversation down. Probably 6-7 more to go. There was a decent chance they could just have that discussion with their twins both present at once and minimize the number of times that dreadful conversation had to occur.

"Aw…" Daiki pouts and tugs on his daddy's hair. "But Kana got to know! Why can't we know too? Why do we gotta wait? We're smart!"

"You have to wait because it doesn't matter how smart you are." Temari boops her son on the nose. "Trust me, you don't want to know that yet. It's even more gross than when your Daddy kisses me."

"Ugh…kisses…blegh." Daiki crinkles his nose in his toddler disgust. "Kisses are evil."

"You're very smart, but you're just not old enough. You have to be...taller." It wasn't a lie. It just wasn't everything. For their purposes though, it was a sufficient explanation in Sasuke's mind. "And one day, you'll probably change your mind about kisses."

"Nu-uh!" Daiki makes a face and sticks out his tongue. "And I'll be tall, you'll see! I'll be taller than you, Daddy, and then you can ride on my shoulder!"

Sasuke blinks. He didn't now how to respond to that. "I suppose we'll have to see what happened, but that's very nice of you to offer." Adorable in a highly impractical way. It would never happen. Still, who was he to crush whatever...eccentric dreams dwelt in the hearts of toddlers?

"Daddy…" Yuuma tugs softly on his daddy's hair. "Wanna go home…" He was shy on the best of days, and this many people made him a little uncomfortable. But it was better to be off the ground on his daddy's shoulder than on the ground where he couldn't see through all the giant legs.

Sasuke smiles. Once upon a time, he had been the same way as Yuuma. Only it had been Itachi he clung to when overloaded. "Yeah. We can go home. The ceremony is over anyway." The last student had been called. Someone actually had a surname that started with Z. Sasuke couldn't remember when the last time that had happened. Zabuza had a first name that started with Z, but a last name?

"Okay." Yuuma smiles into his daddy's hair. "Can we invite Aoda for dinner?" He loved that snake so much and loved cuddles with the giant snake almost as much as cuddles with his daddy, especially when the giant snake was sitting in the sun and soaking up all the warmth like a big scaly blanket.

"Of course, we can." Sasuke smiles at the toddler before calling out to the rest of their family. "Let's head back."

Four heads of black and blond hair race through the crowd as their small army of sons jump down from one of the buildings adjacent to the academy schoolyard. And in the lead is their second oldest, Ren, his dark eyes gleaming out from behind equally dark hair, both with a tint of blue to them. The ten-year-old slides to a smooth stop in the sand, a smirk plastered to his face. "You're done with the boring stuff now?"

Sasuke snorts in amusement. "I hope you'll find your own graduation more entertaining in a couple years." He pokes his eldest son's forehead affectionately. "Your academic and physical test skills are exceptional, but you've got less patience than Daiki and Yuuma."

Ren rolls his eyes and goes to stand next to his mother and poke Nozomi's cheek, eliciting a happy burble from his little sister. "Yuuma's got tons of patience. He managed to make it through the entire thing before wanting to go home." If this had been a year ago, Yuuma would have started crying after five minutes exposed to this many people.

"Yes, you should follow his example when it comes to patience." Sasuke watches the interactions with a smile. "And he'll likely benefit by imitating your boldness...to a degree." Gods and Goddesses help them all, there was definitely at least a little Temari in all their children. He loved his wife with all his heart, but Sasuke wasn't sure that the world was ready for when their children reached adulthood. Oh well, they'd have to adjust.

"Sasuke, relax." Temari presses a kiss to Sasuke's cheek and smiles. "Everything's going to be fine. Bold is good. And Yuuma will be fine. You're not much of a people person and you turned out alright."

"That's mostly because I have you, but I know they will be. They're Sand Villagers." He smiles at his wife.

"And so are you, sweetheart." Temari's eyes glimmer with teasing humor as she frees up an arm for their five-year-old. "Remember that, because if you decide to go running off somewhere, you'll have a small army chasing after you."

"Yes, I'd say it's in my best interest not to forget that." He chuckles. "A terrifying army the likes of which would have even Madara quivering in fear." Particularly, when any of them threw a tantrum. How his eardrums had ever survived in tact was a mystery during their terrible twos.

"A terrifying flaming army with tempers and abilities to match." Temari's steps leave imprints in the sand as she walks, but only for a moment before being trampled by several pairs of much smaller feet. The sound of five pairs of feet trampling down the sand behind her was a sound that she had grown to love dearly over the years.

"Exactly. I guess we should count ourselves lucky that none of them inherited the red haired genes in your family." Sasuke smirks at her, unable to resist teasing her. "I hear red heads have even worse tempers than blondes."

"And you've met Gaara." His was the most terrifying red-headed temper that Temari has ever seen. "We'll teach them to control the flames of their temper. Don't worry. After all, none of them have successfully burned down the house yet."

"Not for a lack of trying." Sasuke snorts. "I wouldn't trade them or you for the world, though. I promised Aoda I'd let him 'train' with them. That, and it is about dinner time anyway."

"Alright, then we'll let them fan their flames later." Temari surprises Sasuke with another kiss, prompting a rather disgusted groan from several of their boys.

"Yeah." Sasuke returns the kiss and smirks, finding their groans delightfully entertaining.

Temari laughs and drops her voice suggestively, but not too suggestively. "And maybe later, I can fan yours."

"You always do." The smirk never weavers. "I think you're the only one who could have talked me into staying somewhere back then. I'm glad you did."

"Yeah." A gentle warmth spreads all through Temari's chest as a tiny hand squeezes hers. "I'm glad I did too."


End file.
